Page 32 - bon-dia-aruba-20210428

A32 sports
Diaranson 28 aPriL 2021

PSG striker Mbappé fit to face Man City in Champions League

playing in the first leg at Parc he has never felt so happy in for my team, I like to win the
des Princes. However, the Paris since he joined from Champions League. That’s
22-year-old Mbappé will be Barcelona in 2017. the most important thing.
in the squad for the match In the future, I will need to
against City, with PSG coach “I have already talked about remember that I have man-
Mauricio Pochettino saying it. It’s not really a topic right aged to win this Champions
Tuesday that left back Juan now, my contract is still run- League once, twice, maybe
Bernat and reserve goalkeep- ning for two years,” Neymar three times."
er Alexandre Letellier are the said. “But what I’d like you
only players missing. to know is I really feel great, I Neymar has already won Eu-
feel happy about this season. rope's biggest tournament
Mbappé, one of the world’s By far, I have been the most with Barcelona but has yet
most talented players, has happy this season." to claim the coveted trophy
scored eight goals in this sea- with PSG, which lost to Bay-
son’s Champions League, Neymar went through an- ern in last year's final. Like
second only to the 10 netted other injury-hit season but PSG, City is lacking Cham-
by Borussia Dortmund strik- has been back to his best re- pions League pedigree, hav-
(AP) — Kylian Mbappé is nor thigh injury and is fit for er Erling Haaland. cently, helping his team get ing reached the semifinals
fit. Neymar is happy. the clash between two of the past defending champion this year only for the second
most potent attacking sides “Mbappé is a great player, he Bayern Munich in the previ- time after making it to the
With its pair of strikers feel- in Europe, both chasing a scores a lot. What I wish for ous round. last four in 2016.
ing well, Paris Saint-Germain maiden Champions League him is he can reach the high-
couldn’t be in much bet- trophy. est level he can and be very “Today my main objective is “This is the second time we
ter shape heading into the successful,” Neymar said be- the Champions League, not have got to the semifinals, so
Champions League semifi- Mbappé came off with the fore reflecting on his own sit- the Ballon d’Or," Neymar there is not much history for
nals against Manchester City injury near the end of PSG’s uation in the French capital. said when asked about his our club here," City manager
on Wednesday. 3-1 win at Metz in the personal ambitions. “That’s Pep Guardiola said, "but we
French league on Saturday, Neymar, who has yet to ex- not my main priority. Cur- will start to build it.”
Mbappé has shaken off a mi- jeopardizing his chances of tend his deal with PSG, said rently, I want to be a leader

Israeli soccer referee comes

out as transgender woman

(AP) — An Israeli soc- Last week, Caitlyn Jenner
cer referee has come out — an Olympic hero, reality
as transgender and is liv- TV personality and transgen-
ing — and enforcing the der rights activist — joined
rules of the game — as a a growing list of candidates
woman. seeking to oust California
Gov. Gavin Newsom from
Sapir Berman announced office.
Tuesday she has received the
support of her family, the lo- Berman is not the world’s
cal referees' union and Israeli first transgender soccer refer-
and international soccer of- ee. In 2018, a British referee
ficials. She said even players named Nick Clark report-
and fans have begun to ad- edly came out as Lucy Clark,
dress her as a woman, even hoping to become a “game-
if they don't always like her changer.”
calls on the field.
Israel has a reputation for
“I always saw myself as a having tolerant attitudes to-
woman, from a young age,” ward gays. Tel Aviv is host to
Berman, whose birth name one of the world's largest gay
was “Sagi,” told reporters. pride parades each year. But
some of Israel's soccer pow-
“I realized society will not erhouses are located in com-
accept me, will not be on my munities where attitudes are
side, so I continued like this more conservative.
for nearly 26 years," she said.
Six months ago, "I decided to Berman has been a referee in
come out and to show who Israeli soccer for a decade and
I am, first of all to myself, is now a judge in the coun-
for my soul,” she said with a try's most elite division, the
smile. Berman began living Israeli Premier League.
as a woman visually about
three months ago. Berman said there are already
players who address her as a
Berman's decision comes at woman, and at a recent youth
a time when gay and trans- match an angry parent used
gender people are achieving Hebrew's feminine gender
higher profiles and accep- when complaining about a
tance in some parts of the call.
world. “It shows me there's change
in society,” she said.