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sports Diamars 10 mei 2022

Schalke promoted back to Bundesliga after ending Russia ties

(AP) — Schalke is coming nine of them seriously.
back to the Bundesliga af-
ter a year of transforma- “This pitch invasion could
tion on and off the field. have ended in disaster,” said
Peter Both, the senior officer
A humiliating relegation from on duty.
the top division forced one
of Germany’s traditional gi- In January 2021, Schalke
ants to rebuild its team. Then ended a 12-month losing
came the war in Ukraine and streak one game shy of the
Schalke cut ties with the Rus- all-time Bundesliga record of
sian state gas company Gaz- 31. When relegation was con-
prom, the financial fuel for firmed three months later,
some of its greatest successes, fans confronted players and
leaving the club facing an un- staff, attacking some of them
certain future. as they left the team bus.

Schalke’s late surge for pro- The lack of ticket sales dur-
motion this season was mir- ing the coronavirus pandem-
rored in the game Saturday ic caused the club to warn
which secured its return to of possible insolvency. Even
the Bundesliga. Schalke was with a reported 20 million eu-
down 2-0 at halftime against ros ($21 million) a year from
promotion rival St. Pauli but Gazprom in the top flight, for the Social Democratic much less than the Gazprom which all were once top-
recovered to win 3-2. Schalke had been spending Party, one of the country’s agreement, which was to run flight stalwarts and are now
“I have huge respect for this beyond its means as it chased two major political forces. through 2025. battling against a slow decline
group, how they stepped up. glory in the Bundesliga and Sideline advertising boards after relegation.
Incredible,” said coach Mike Champions League, where it featured the logo of Nord Fans made stickers to cover
Büskens, himself a Schalke last played in 2018-19. Stream 2, a gas pipeline the Russian company’s logo Schalke may be on a high for
great for winning the UEFA project between Russia and on their replica shirts, or now but the transition back
Cup as a player in 1997. Gazprom sells gas in vast Germany which would have scrambled to buy new ones to the Bundesliga won’t be
“You’re dumped unceremo- quantities to industrial buy- extended Gazprom’s control without Gazprom’s name. easy. This season’s standout
niously out of the division, ers and countries, not Ger- of European markets. That Schalke now donates money player with 29 goals in as
you have no team. And then man households, so one of project was suspended short- to charities helping Ukrai- many league games is Simon
a group develops where ev- the longest-running and ly before the invasion. nians for every new club Terodde, a 34-year-old Ger-
eryone is prepared to believe most lucrative sponsorship member and every shirt sold man who has a superb record
in the others, to give it their deals in world soccer was a When Russia invaded with a “Together for Peace” in the second division but has
all, and I have to say, the guys paradox — what was the ad- Ukraine on Feb. 24, Schalke message. Goalkeeper Ralf repeatedly struggled in the
earned it.” vertising really for? ended the sponsorship deal Fährmann arranged game top league. Leading defender
with Gazprom and Matth- tickets for 100 refugees. Ko Itakura is a loanee from
A shadow was cast over the The sponsorship started in ias Warnig, an old friend of Manchester City.
festivities when fans were in- 2006 and made locals used to Russian President Vladimir Getting promoted at the
jured in crushes and falls as seeing the Russian state com- Putin, left the board. The first attempt was vital for First, though, Schalke fans
thousands pushed forward pany’s logo in Germany’s in- new sponsor is a local real es- Schalke in a division packed will get to continue the cele-
onto the field. Police said dustrial heartland, which is tate firm. The new deal isn’t with teams like Hamburg, brations at Sunday’s last game
Monday 18 people were hurt, also an electoral stronghold public but is likely worth Nuremberg and Hannover, of the season at Nuremberg.

Nadal likens his body to ‘an old machine’ at Italian Open

(AP) — At 35 and after the 19-year-old Spaniard in cover the way that I have to through.” “It’s pretty good to have (an)
nearly two decades at or the quarterfinals. play on clay.” opportunity to do something
near the top of tennis, Ra- Nadal, who has won the Ital- like that in between tourna-
fael Nadal likens his body Nadal won his opening 20 Nadal, who turns 36 on June ian Open a record 10 times, ments, in the middle of the
to “an old machine.” matches of the year, which 3, is playing his final warmup will open at the Foro Italico season,” Swiatek said. “I’m
included the Australian Open in Rome this week before against either big-serving more fresh. Mentally and
A machine that was idle for title, but he said at the Italian attempting to add to his re- American John Isner or Ar- physically, I had time to rest.”
more than a month recently Open on Monday that his cord total of 13 French Open gentine qualifier Francisco Swiatek then trained for five
when the 21-time Grand stretch of good form means titles. Cerundolo, who reached days at Rafael Nadal’s acade-
Slam champion was recover- nothing now. the semifinals of the Miami my in Mallorca, Spain, which
ing from a rib stress fracture. The tournament at Roland Open. gave her an opportunity to
“My body is like an old ma- Garros starts in less than two visit the Nadal museum.
After he was injured during chine. To put this machine weeks. Swiatek’s streak
a semifinal win over Carlos on again it takes some time,” Top-ranked Iga Swiatek is “It was inspiring,” Swiatek
Alcaraz at Indian Wells in Nadal said. “It’s not the same “I need some time, but may- back on tour looking to ex- said. “Seeing numbers on
March, Nadal returned to ac- when you (are) 19 than when be this week can be a posi- tend her 23-match winning Wikipedia is one thing, but
tion at the Madrid Open last you have almost 36, with all tive week, maybe not. Who streak and defend her Rome seeing all the trophies, how
week, when he was beaten by the issues that I went through knows?” Nadal said. “The title. consistent he was sometimes
in my tennis career. only thing that is sure, I’m in some tournaments, it’s
going to keep trying and I’m Swiatek sat out last week’s amazing.”
“You need to build again the going to keep building con- Madrid Open because of a
confidence on your body, on fidence to try to be ready for sore arm after winning four Swiatek, the 2020 French
your movements, then you next week, for in two weeks. consecutive titles. Open champion, routed
going to start feeling again That’s my goal unfortunate- Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 6-0 in
comfortable with your ten- ly this year, because I didn’t She said she spent “five or six last year’s Rome final. She’ll
nis. It’s more about being have another chance to ap- days” without picking up her open against either one of
confident with my move- proach this clay-court season racket. two Americans: Shelby Rog-
ments, recover the speed, re- with all the things that I went ers or Alison Riske.