Sergio Ramos admits the appeal of Champions League football only added to the lure of an emotional return to Sevilla as he hopes the LaLiga side can win at Arsenal in his absence on Wednesday.
The 37-year-old won the competition four times during a trophy-laden spell at Real Madrid but is now back at his boyhood club following a stint with Paris St Germain.
The former Spain centre-back has been ruled out with a calf injury and has not travelled for Sevilla’s crucial Group B clash away to Arsenal.
Defeat for the reigning Europa League champions would leave their chances of progression into the Champions League knockout stages on a knife-edge with two games remaining.
Ramos will no doubt be desperate to feature in those fixtures and help keep Sevilla’s ambitions alive after making the “passionate” decision to return after an 18-year absence.
“I had received offers of going abroad, to Saudi Arabia, for instance – but this was a debt I had to my club, to Sevilla, the first team where I triumphed,” he said.
“This is also a personal debt towards my family, my parents, my grandparents – it’s very emotional, very passionate to me. This was a very personal decision, a decision made with the heart.
“The Champions League is something that everybody knows what it means, especially personally to me, when making a decision the Champions League is an important competition.
“Sevilla were playing in the Champions League and that was a plus in making such a decision.
“Arsenal are a consolidated team with young players with a well-defined style of play. They know how they play and we know it will be a very, very difficult game.
“Winning? Well, we know that Arsenal are an amazing team. But of course, the team will go there with the intention of taking the win, the three points home.
“We know how difficult it can be but we will try to play a serious game, very concentrated to try to make sure that they don’t have a lot of opportunities and we take advantage of the ones we have.”
Asked about his fitness ahead of Saturday’s 1-1 LaLiga draw against Celta Vigo, a match the World Cup winner was not involved in, Ramos replied: “Let’s take it one day at a time. It is true it’s not a big injury, it is a minor injury.”
Arsenal sit top of the group after a 2-1 win in Spain a fortnight ago but Mikel Arteta’s side have lost two of their three domestic games since.
Speaking at the Emirates Stadium on the eve of the clash, Sevilla head coach Diego Alonso praised Arsenal as one of the elite clubs in Europe.
“The game at a strategic and football level is complex,” he said.
“We are facing the fourth or fifth best team in Europe, they showed it last season, same in this one. It puts us in difficulties, but it also put us in difficulties two weeks ago. We competed well, with an unfair result for me because we did more for the game.”
:: Watch LALIGA on Viaplay, available in the UK on Sky, Virgin TV, Amazon Prime Video and via streaming.
Montego Bay United, Arnett Gardens, Mount Pleasant secure wins to open 2024-25 Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League
Montego Bay United FC, Arnett Gardens FC and Mount Pleasant Academy all secured wins on Sunday’s first day of the 2024-25 Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season.
Four-time champions Montego Bay United were the biggest winners of the opening week, securing a 4-1 victory over Vere Phoenix United FC at the Wembley Centre of Excellence, their first opening game win since they joined Jamaica’s top football league 13 years ago.
MBU took the lead in the seventh minute through newcomer Jordan Britto before Vere got on level terms four minutes later through Damion Thomas.
That score held through the rest of the first half but the second half was all Montego Bay United as Brian Brown, captain Owayne Gordon and Shaniel Thomas all scored within 15 minutes of each other to complete the 4-1 score line.
At the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, a Warner Brown double in the ninth and 10th minutes and a 55th minute goal from Kimani Arbouine gave Arnett Gardens a 3-0 win over Dunbeholden FC.
Last season’s beaten finalists, Mount Pleasant Academy, opened their season with a 2-0 win over Portmore United at Ferdie Neita Park.
The goals for the Theodore Whitmore-led unit came from Sue-Lae McCalla in the 27th minute and Shaquille Bradford in first half stoppage time.
Real Madrid handed injury boosts ahead of Champions League opener
Carlo Ancelotti expects to have several players back from injury in time for Real Madrid's Champions League opener against Stuttgart on Tuesday.
Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eder Militao are set to be available for the match at the Santiago Bernabeu, despite the Brazilian missing training as he required an extra day to recover fully.
Madrid won their record-extending 15th Champions League title last season, beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the final to get their hands on the trophy.
Los Blancos were a force to be reckoned with in the competition last year, and were only behind for 7% of their total match time in the Champions League last season; the lowest percentage of any team.
Former mainstays Nacho, Joselu and the now-retired Toni Kroos are no longer part of the squad, and Madrid will also be without Eduardo Camavinga through injury.
However, Ancelotti said he was excited to start their title defence with "the best player in the world" Kylian Mbappe.
"Yes, we lost Nacho and Kroos, two of our most important players. And Joselu. In exchange, one of the best players in the world is coming. Do we have a better squad than last year? I think so," Ancelotti told reporters on Monday.
Meanwhile, it was Carvajal, who scored the opening goal in their triumph over Dortmund, who confirmed Bellingham's involvement, noting his importance to the side.
"Jude's return is fantastic news for us. We know what he contributes with and without the ball," defender Dani Carvajal said.
"We demand much more from ourselves and tomorrow is a new opportunity to continue growing."
All three European club competitions have been expanded to 36 teams this season and Ancelotti's side will also be taking part in the expanded men's 32-team Club World Cup, starting next June in the United States.
Forward Brahim Diaz was the latest player to be sidelined in a slew of injuries, and Ancelotti said their gruelling schedule was to blame.
"The calendar is too demanding. A new competition is coming, and we don't know how it will turn out," he added.
"It may or may not be more entertaining. The fact is that we have two more games in this competition."
The Italian, who has won the Champions League five times as a manager and twice as a player, said the competition holds a place above all else in his heart.
"For me this competition is very special, not only for the club. But it's not just that, it's the day-to-day work to get there," he said.
"The [Champions League] will always be the same even if they change the format a little and [its relation with] Real Madrid, the same. This [year] is going to be another [chance] at history and I hope we can reach the final like last year."
Messi vows to keep fighting for title after stellar Miami return
Lionel Messi is confident that Inter Miami can clinch the title, with a trip to Atlanta United next up for the Eastern Conference leaders.
The Argentine made his long-awaited return from injury in their 3-1 win over Philadelphia Union, having a hand in all three goals as they opened up a 10-point lead over FC Cincinnati in the table.
It was their fifth consecutive win following their heavy 6-1 loss to Cincinnati, and Messi acknowledged how well the team had performed amid some injury troubles this season.
"As we said at the beginning, we know the squad we have, and the title is our goal," he told Apple TV. "We're realistic and take responsibility for it.
"Unfortunately, we've had a lot of bad luck with injuries this year and were never at full strength for one reason or another. We were always missing players, but the team always managed to push through."
On his own return from an ankle problem he sustained playing in the Copa America final, he said: "It was a lot of time off the field. Little by little, I found myself with the group. I felt good, and that's why we decided that I would start. I am very happy."
Meanwhile, Atlanta are down in 10th on 31 points, half of Miami's own points tally, though they did shock the Herons in their last meeting, beating them 3-1 on the road.
They have won just once since the return of MLS action following the Leagues Cup break though – a narrow 1-0 victory over Charlotte FC – and lost last time out at home to Nashville SC.
The Five Stripes were outplayed on Saturday, and midfielder Ajani Fortune has urged his team-mates to show more of a fight when they meet Miami on Wednesday.
"We will change the little things, like the work rate and stuff like that, but we look to keep fighting," he said.
"I think that's the biggest thing we were missing [against Nashville], so once we have that, we'll be in a better spot to perform."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Atlanta United – Saba Lobjanidze
Saba Lobjanidze had recorded at least one assist in three consecutive home appearances, but that run came to an end against Nashville.
Indeed, nine of his 12 goal contributions this season have come at home, including all six assists.
Inter Miami – Lionel Messi
Messi was straight back into the action for Miami after an eight-game absence, scoring twice and assisting one against Philadelphia last time out.
He has now netted 27 goals for the Herons, and another brace against Atlanta would draw him level with their all-time leading goalscorers, Gonzalo Higuain and Leonardo Campana.
MATCH PREDICTION: INTER MIAMI WIN
Miami are currently on a five-match winning streak in MLS, scoring 14 goals in that run. They have actually netted in each of their last 14 matches; however, they have struggled for clean sheets, only keeping one in their last 13 games in the competition.
Atlanta have proven a thorn in Miami's side over the years and have won their last two matches against the Herons, including that 3-1 victory at Chase Stadium in May. Indeed, they have only failed to beat Miami in four of their previous meetings (W5 D3).
Atlanta have won only two of their last 11 regular season home matches (D3 L5) dating back to the beginning of April, while they have won just two of their last eight outings in MLS (D1 L5).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Atlanta United – 28.6%
Draw – 24.4%
Inter Miami – 47%
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
