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sports Diabierna 21 Mei 2021

Spanish league ends with title finale, possible farewells

(AP) — Two of Spain's most mod- with respective wins at Osasuna and
est stadiums are set to offer scenes Celta Vigo.
of joy and sorrow on Saturday.
"Our most important game is always
Atlético Madrid can ensure it clinches the next one up," Villarreal coach
its first Spanish league title in seven Unai Emery said. "The Spanish
years with a win at Valladolid, while league has always been our focus and
Lionel Messi and Ronald Koeman qualifying for European competition
could participate in their last game for for the coming season our main goal."
Barcelona when they visit the already
relegated Eibar. Barcelona bowed out of the title fight
last round. Its match at Eibar's Ipurúa
Atlético enters the final round of the Stadium will likely be a sad final ap-
competition with a two-point lead pearance for its coach and maybe
over defending champion Real Ma- even its greatest player of all time.
drid.
The days of Koeman appear to be
If Diego Simeone's side fails to win at numbered after his team's poor fin-
Valladolid, Madrid can retain its title ish and with president Joan Laporta
by beating Villarreal. Madrid holds pledging that he will overhaul the
the tiebreaker advantage with Atlético team this offseason.
in case they finish level on points. of the difficulty. Atlético Madrid has a Villarreal side that has played well
something important to play for, but all season but may be looking ahead It could also be the last time that Mes-
In a provincial city 190 kilometers this is our stadium and we have more to an even more important game. si plays for Barcelona. The 33-year-
(118 miles) north of Madrid, Vallado- at stake than they do." old Argentina forward has given no
lid needs a victory at its José Zorrilla Olivas will be tasked with helping de- Villarreal will face Manchester Unit- indication what his plans are when
Stadium to have a chance of avoiding fend Luis Suárez, whose late goal last ed in the Europa League final on his contract expires on June 30. The
relegation. weekend secured a 2-1 comeback win Wednesday in Gdansk, Poland, aim- match will be number 779 for Messi
over Osasuna that kept Atlético at the ing to win the first major title in club in a Barcelona shirt.
Elche and Huesca are also fighting top of the standings and in control of history. If it beats the English pow-
with Valladolid to not go down, with its fate. erhouse, it will also qualify for the Barcelona's only interest in the out-
two of the three clubs destined for Champions League. come is maintaining third place,
the drop. Atlético will face the finale without which Sevilla could snatch from the
its most-used center back, Stefan In the Spanish league, Villarreal is Catalan club with a victory over Ala-
For Valladolid defender Kiki Olivas, Savic, who will serve a one-game sus- currently in seventh place, a spot that vés.
his team's desperation could be what pension for accumulation of yellow earns a berth for next season's new
it needs to pull off the upset. cards. José Giménez, who has been Europa Conference League. So, a two-decade-long partnership
hit by injuries and a bout with CO- that has taken Messi and Barcelona
"We still have a chance and that is why VID-19 this season, will likely take But a win over Madrid could allow it to the heights of world soccer could
we must fight until the end," Olivas his place. to move up into the Europa League finish at a tiny stadium in northern
said. "We have to forget everything spots. Real Sociedad and Real Betis Spain, with practically nothing to
else and face the match with the be- Besides needing Valladolid to at least are hoping to lock up those berths play for, and nobody to cheer.
lief that we can pull it off regardless draw with Atlético, Madrid must beat with finishes in fifth- and sixth-place

Indian Wells tennis returns to California desert in October

(AP) – The BNP Paribas year after a case of CO- tightly scheduled and the 2021 season from Nov. 13- The ATP Tour on Thursday
Open is returning to the VID-19 was confirmed in summer months in the des- 28. Five teams — defending announced a date change for
Southern California des- the Coachella Valley, where ert are notoriously hot. Oc- champion New York Em- another event this fall. The
ert this fall after being many players were already in tober is not much cooler. pire, Springfield Lasers, Or- Stockholm Open, originally
knocked out of its usual the desert practicing. The average temperature in ange County Breakers, San set for late October, will be
March dates this year and Indian Wells that month is 91 Diego Aviators and Chicago played Nov. 7-13, the same
last because of the COV- The tournament typically degrees Fahrenheit (33 Cel- Smash — will participate in week as the Next Gen ATP
ID-19 pandemic. draws upwards of 450,000 sius). 31 matches. Finals in Milan.
fans to Indian Wells, located WTT is moving its season
The two-week tennis tour- 110 miles east of Los An- Tournament officials said from July to November to be The ATP says it is still assess-
nament featuring the men's geles. It is referred to as the health and safety protocols able to have as many fans in ing the fall schedule, includ-
and women's pro tours will "fifth slam" because of its established by the pro tours, person as possible. Last year's ing a three-week Asian swing
be held in October at In- popularity among the players as well as the city of Indi- season was played entirely at that includes stops in Beijing,
dian Wells Tennis Garden. and its stature, ranking points an Wells and the Riverside the Greenbrier resort in West Tokyo and Shanghai in early
Tournament director Tom- and over $17 million in prize County Health Department, Virginia. October.
my Haas said Thursday that money that place it one rung will be enforced. The state of
dates will be announced after below tennis' four Grand California is expected to fully
the ATP and WTA tours con- Slam tournaments. open on June 15 after over a
firm their fall schedules. year of pandemic restrictions.
Dominic Thiem won the However, individual coun-
"Everyone in our sport has men's title and Bianca An- ties may choose to keep cer-
missed the BNP Paribas dreescu was the women's tain restrictions beyond that
Open over the past two years champion when the event point.
and its return this October is was last played in March
great for tennis," ATP chair- 2019. Tickets are expected to go on
man Andrea Gaudenzi said. sale June 21.
Organizers had said in 2020
It will return to its usual place that they were prepared to Indian Wells Tennis Garden
in March in 2022. play the event on different will be busy in November,
dates, but it never happened. too. The courts will be the
The event never began last The pro tennis calendar is site of World TeamTennis'