‘Flick, Salihamidzic can no longer work together at Bayern’

MUNICH: The relationship between Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic has broken down to such an extent that one may be forced to leave, according to club legends Lothar Matthaeus and Stefan Effenberg.

Holders Bayern face a Champions League exit in the quarter-finals, needing to overturn a 3-2 home defeat to Paris Saint Germain in Tuesday’s return leg, but pressure is also building off the pitch.

Friction between Salihamidzic and Flick, which has brewed all season, has boiled over in the last few days.

Flick refused to answer any questions about the situation before Saturday’s home league game against Union Berlin and former West Germany captain Matthaeus says the situation is untenable.

“They have different opinions, especially about the squad, and I don’t think that’s fixable anymore, their positions are too far apart,” said Matthaeus, who made 410 appearances for Bayern, in his column for daily Bild.

On Friday, Flick, who is under contract until 2023, criticised some of Salihamidzic’s recruitment decisions, saying the squad were ‘stronger’ last season when they lifted the Champions League.

In the last week the pair have had a clear difference of opinion over Jerome Boateng.

Salihamidzic has confirmed the 32-year-old will not be offered a new deal when his contract expires at the end of the season, but Flick has made it clear he wants to keep the 2014 World Cup winner.

“One of them has to go,” former Bayern captain Effenberg told the t-online website.

“The club is pushing Flick out,” he added, even though the 56-year-old is the best coach at Bayern who won all six titles available in the last 12 months.

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has stepped into the feud and demanded the pair bury the hatchet.

“We all have to stick together and work together harmoniously, fairly and professionally,” said Rummenigge. “That’s what I’m clearly asking of the sports management.”—AFP

NBP President’s Cup postponed due to Covid-19

KARACHI: RMG Marcos beat Operation Warriors by 32 runs at KCCA Cricket Ground in the 6th National Bank President’s Cup T20 Cricket Tournament. RMG captain Syed Shoaib-ur-Rehman won the toss and elected to bat first as his team scored 144 for the loss of 7 wickets in the stipulated overs.

Shakir Ahmed Khan scored 47 off 23 balls, Farhan Aslam scored 32 off 37 balls and Farhan Shafi scored 22 off 20 balls.

Syed Shoaib-ur-Rehman bagged two wickets.

In reply, Operation Warriors scored 112 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the stipulated overs, Syed Sahib Rehman scoring 33 and Jawad Qureshi 32. Umairul Haq’s brilliant bowling fetched him four wickets for 18 runs. Khalid Ali Khan took two wickets for 20 runs.

Ajmal Dehlavi of National Bank declared Umairul Haq as the Man of the Match. Salman Hussain Kazmi, Irfanuddin and others were also present on the occasion.

Later Arshad Hussain, head of NBP Sports Department, announced that in compliance with the orders of Government of Sindh, the remaining matches of the 6th National Bank President’s Cup T20 Cricket Tournament have been postponed due to the third wave of coronavirus.—Agencies

Talha, Wahaj star for Montgomery Gymkhana

KARACHI: Talha Ahsan and Wahaj Riaz both narrowly missed out scoring centuries but their efforts still helped Montgomery Gymkhana crush Student Sports by 179 runs in the All-Sindh Prof Ejaz Ahmed Faruqi Invitation Cricket Tournament match at the TMC Ground on Friday.

Talha smashed 95 (16 fours and one six0 and Wahaj hit 93 (six fours and two sixes) as Montgomery Gymkhana rattled up 306-6 in their stipulated 45 overs. Talha then grabbed three wickets for just six runs while Student Sports were bowled out for 127 in the 38th over.

Summarised scores:

New Karachi Gymkhana beat Pak Mughal CC by 93 runs at KCCA Stadium.

NEW KARACHI GYMKHANA 192 in 43 overs (Wajih Fawad 85, Bilal Khan 53; Mohammad Aziz 3-42, Mohammad Tahir 2-31); PAK MUGHAL CC 99 in 25 overs (Mohammad Aziz 21, Mohammad Mazharuddin 20; Mohammad Ilyas 4-42, Ammar Aziz 3-6, Mohammad Ashfaq 2-35).

Montgomery Gymkhana beat Student Sports by 179 runs at TMC Ground.

MONTGOMERY GYMKHANA 306-6 in 45 overs (Talha Ahsan 95, Wahaj Riaz 93, Faheem Ahmed Bukhari 73; Bilal Aziz 2-18, Arsalan Asad 2-42); STUDENT SPORTS 127 in 37.4 overs (Bilal Aziz 39, Arsalan Asad 26; Talha Ahsan 3-6, Ghazi Nasir 3-53, Taha Waqar 2-34.

Taiser Town Tiger CC beat Mujahid Gymkhana by four wickets at RLCA Ground, Gulberg.

MUJAHID GYMKHANA 185 in 39.3 overs (Adil Ashfaq 63, Sikander Hassan 50, Mohsin Khan 21; Habib Khan 2-24, Gulzar Ali 2-36, Shakir Ali 2-46); TAISER TOWN TIGER CC 186-6 in 36.1 overs (Gulzar Ali 63, Habib Khan 62; Ammar Aziz 2-18).—Sports Reporter

Marquez to return at Portuguese MotoGP

PARIS: Six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez says he has finally recovered from the injuries that wiped out all of last season and will return at the Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday week.

“See you in Portimao next week,” Honda’s Spanish rider posted on Instagram on Saturday.

Marquez fractured his right arm when he fell in the first Grand Prix of last season, an injury that required three bouts of surgery, the last in December.

He returned to training at the beginning of February but was unable to line up for the first two races of the season in Qatar.

“These last nine months have been difficult, with moments of uncertainty, ups and downs. But I am now ready to once again get back to what I love doing!”

His Honda team confirmed their star rider was at last ready to ride.

“Marquez can resume competition, taking into account the reasonable risk associated with this sporting activity,” Honda confirmed.—AFP

Huesca win to come out of drop zone

BARCELONA: Rafa Mir scored his second consecutive brace to lead Huesca to a 3-1 win over Elche, helping to lift his side out of the La Liga relegation zone on Friday.

Huesca, who two rounds ago were in last place, rose to 16th, while Elche fell into the bottom three spots slotted for the drop. Mir also scored twice in a 2-0 win over Levante last round. He has 12 goals in the league for the modest club.

The forward put Huesca in front three minutes into the match. Elche levelled on the very next attack when Huescas Denis Vavro turned a pass into his own net.

But Sandro Ramrez restored the lead on the half-hour mark with a shot that Elche goalkeeper Edgar Badia could have done more to keep out. Mir capped the hosts victory with three minutes to play from the penalty spot after Johan Mojica used his arm to block a pass in the area.—AP

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2021