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| Toronto. "For me in parti |
| LISBON, Portugal -- For Atletico Madrid, the only thing in the way of the greatest season in the clubs 111-year history is crosstown archrival Real Madrid. The Spanish rivals make up the first intracity Champions League final in history, with the match to be played in Lisbon. Real Madrid is the competitions most successful club and bidding to end a 12-year wait for "La Decima" -- its 10th European Cup title. It recently had a 14-year unbeaten run against Atletico in all competitions come to an end last season, when Atletico won the Copa del Rey at Reals Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Here are five things to know about Saturdays match: INJURY WORRIES: Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to return from injury to play Saturday. Diego Costa is unlikely. Advantage, Real Madrid. Ronaldo has been burdened by leg injuries over the past two months but said Tuesday he would be available to play in his first Champions League final for Madrid. Costa has also endured leg setbacks and, after hobbling off against Barcelona on Saturday, sought treatment from a specialist in Belgrade using horse placenta. Ronaldos return will bolster Madrids already potent attack with Gareth Bale set to start. But striker Karim Benzema appears to be doubtful with a hamstring injury. Madrid centre back Pepe is also a game-time decision. ALONSOS REPLACEMENT: Xabi Alonsos absence deals an important blow to Madrids midfield. The Spain international has been one of Madrid coach Carlo Ancelottis most important players this season, but a yellow card in the semifinal win over Bayern Munich has left him suspended. Either Sami Khedira, Asier Illarramendi or Casamiro is likely to fill the void and take responsibility for opening up Madrids attack and breaking up Atleticos buildups. Illaramendi is the natural successor to Alonso, but he has had a nervy debut season at Madrid. "It will be a very equal match and I imagine the midfield will be determinant in setting up play," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. VILLA EXPERIENCE: Not only will David Villas goal-scoring prowess make up for Diego Costas absence, but the Spain strikers experience should prove invaluable to an Atletico team short of Champions League experience. Villa is the only regular in the squad who has played in a Champions League final before, scoring in Barcelonas 3-1 triumph over Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in 2011. Costas absence could also bolster Villas hopes of playing for Spain at the World Cup. Madrid can count on more experience as Cristiano Ronaldo won the title while at Manchester United and goalkeeper Iker Casillas was part of Madrids winning teams in 2000 and 02. Madrid can also draw on the experience of assistant coach Zinedine Zidane, who scored an iconic goal in Madrids 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in its last Champions League final appearance. PAISLEYS RECORD: Carlo Ancelotti has been able to get Real Madrid where Jose Mourinho never could, and now the Italian coach is one win away from matching Bob Paisley with his third European Cup. Ancelotti, who also won two European Cups as a player, secured the Champions League at AC Milan in 2003 and 07, leaving him on the verge of matching the former Liverpool managers record number of titles. "Theres no pressure on me, just the joy of living this moment of happiness," Ancelotti said. "A lot of (teams) have to watch this game in front of the TV and were lucky to be able to play it. Ive watched this game on TV a lot of times and I didnt enjoy it." Diego Simeone could become just the third non-European coach to win the trophy. The only other two were also Argentine -- Real Madrids Luis Carniglia in 1958 and 59 and Helenio Herrera of Inter Milan in 1964 and 65. DERBY TIME: Saturdays match represents the most important Madrid derby after 194 league and Spanish Cup games. Madrid has the advantage with 102 victories to Atleticos 46. Atletico only ended a 14-year winless run against Madrid in all competitions last season when it won the Copa del Rey at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Atletico has won and drawn the two league encounters since, while Madrid easily won a pair of Copa del Rey matches against Atletico en route to the domestic cup title. The pair have met in the European Cup once before -- in 1959, when Madrid needed a replay to emerge victorious. After the two legs finished 2-2, Madrid won 2-1 in Zaragoza to reach the final. But in one-game cup finals, Atletico -- which can become the seventh team to finish the competition undefeated -- leads the series 4-1. "There are no secrets for this game," Ancelotti said. "The two teams know each other well." Marcus Johansson Jersey . PAUL, Minn. Andre Burakovsky Jersey . In many ways he was a different person with different responsibilities, different motivations. He had a lot to prove but he wasnt fully ready to prove it, not like he is now. http://www.jerseyhockeycapitalsstore.com/authentic-john-carlson-capitals-jersey-sale/. -- Tri-Citys Brendan Shinnimin has scored a lot of goals this season, but none bigger than the game-winner Wednesday night in Game 7 against the Spokane Chiefs. Justin Williams Capitals Jersey .Willett, who won the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa two weeks ago, is at No. 51 in the world in this weeks ranking. The Dubai Open on the Asian Tour ended Sunday as the final official golf tournament of the year. Ilya Samsonov Jersey . - San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith was arrested Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport after authorities said he became belligerent during a security screening and threatened that he had a bomb.TORONTO -- Ryan Briscoe knows all about Toronto hospitals. Briscoe broke his wrist in the first race of the doubleheader at the Honda Indy Toronto last year, an injury that kept him from competing in the second race and later led to surgery. Three years ago Briscoe also made a visit to a local hospital, albeit with a less serious injury, after a wheel-to-wheel incident with Tony Kanaan. "Ive still got a little lump on my hand from that," said Briscoe. Just finishing the claustrophobic 85-lap, 2.81-kilometre street course at Exhibition Place in one piece is difficult enough for IndyCar drivers. Surviving two races, which run Saturday and Sunday, on a crash-prone track requires plenty of strategy and a bit of luck. Briscoe has seen a bit of everything at the race. The 32-year-old Australian driver for Chip Ganassi Racing finished second when the race returned from a hiatus in 2009. But the following year he was bumped off the track by Graham Rahal and finished two laps off the pace in 18th. In 2011 Briscoe finished seventh and earned his first hospital visit for the trouble. A collision in 2012 with Dario Franchitti ended Briscoes day, and last year he broke his wrist after failing to let go of the steering wheel when Justin Wilson bounced off a wall and smacked into Briscoe and Charlie Kimball. Like most drivers, Briscoe is still trying to figure out how to win Toronto. "You never know," he said. "Everyone will say qualifying at the front of the track position is very important, but the way these races have been working out this year you really just got to be heads up all the time, get that strategy right, work the tires the right way, especially the red soft compound tires. "And then, with a track where accidents are going to happen, you dont want to be caught out on track when the yellow comes out because the pits close and then youre hosed." There are plenty of spots for potential accidents on the 11-turn track. Two in particular stand out to Briscoe: a tight right at Turn 1 and a deceptive Turn 3 hairpin where drivers often think they have more room than they do at the end of a long straight. Briscoe has been guilty in the past of being one of those drivers. His first injury in 2011 came at Turn 3 when he tried to pass Kanaan on the inside and bounced the Brazilian out of the race. "I think if theres any track where you just have to give a little extra room its there in Toronto," said Briscoe. For Marco Andretti, who finished fourth and ninth last year, the final four turns are just as hard to get out of. A bumpy Turn 8 leads into three final high-speed turns. IndyCar teams set up their vehicles differently depending on the track and weather conditions, and the high speeds of Turns 9-11 dont mix well with the street-car setup usually employed in Toronto. "You normally just have to hang onto the car thats probably not going to do what you want through there, so that normally makes it tough, but its character, its fun," said Andretti.dddddddddddd Complicating matters is a gruelling weekend set in the middle of a busy schedule. Toronto caps a set of races that has been going on at least once every weekend since June 28. Drivers get just two 45-minute practice sessions Friday. The weekend is much busier, with qualifying held in the morning before the afternoon race Saturday and Sunday. Briscoe, who is juggling the IndyCar season with life as a new father since daughter Finley was born in December, said the event can be unforgiving and require hard work. "I mean these races are so physical," he said. "Especially in the middle of summer when its so hot. ... You just really need to be on it, and on it quickly, and on the physical side its just all about staying hydrated, really." Unlike most street races, however, a good qualifying result in Toronto doesnt guarantee a checkered flag. Andretti describes the race as "attrition." "Its not as track-position dependent, meaning you dont have to lead right from the start to win at the end," he said. "If you have something happen, if you qualify bad, which unfortunately I have in the past, it gives you a shot at it because theres just so much carnage that goes on." Even some legendary family experience isnt much of an advantage for Andretti in Toronto. His father and boss, Andretti Autosport owner Michael Andretti, won Toronto an unmatched seven times during his career. But his fathers victories between 1989 and 2001 dont give Marco Andretti an upper hand. He has yet to step onto the podium in Toronto. "Ive been strong at other places, I dont have seven wins at one place, but you cant explain why. It just happened that way," said Marco Andretti. "If you look at his track record, he was probably more dominant at Indianapolis and he has no wins there. "So sometimes it just clicks, sometimes it doesnt. He did nothing different here than he did anywhere else. Thats the tough part. A lot of it I just have to learn by going out and doing it." Winning both races in Toronto will be crucial to the overall championship. Last year Scott Dixon swept the doubleheader en route to winning the series title. This year, Helio Castroneves holds a slim lead at the top heading into the race with 471 points. There are at least 100 points available in Toronto, meaning the championship wont be won but could be lost this weekend as the season draws to a close Aug. 31. Andretti, who is seventh overall with 337 points, said his season will be decided incular this is the weekend if I want to win a championship. This is the make or break," he said. "You know, if I come out of here fourth in points then Im still in striking distance but if something goes wrong then Im done. This weekends huge for me, for sure. "Im good with the top fives, but I need the W." Cheap Jerseys nfl jerseys cheap authentic wholesale jerseys jerseys from china authentic Cheap Jerseys wholesale stitched jerseys ' ' ' |
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posted on: 11/19/2015 03:41:40 AM
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