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sports Diasabra 15 Mei 2021

Alves and Silva back for Brazil in World Cup qualifying

(AP) — Veteran defend- tina. ments to keep our competi-
ers Dani Alves and Thiago The 10 South American tiveness high up."
Silva were brought back teams had been scheduled to ___
into the Brazil squad on play matches in March, but Squad:
Friday for next month's they were postponed because Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liver-
World Cup qualifying of the coronavirus pandemic. pool), Ederson (Manchester
matches against Ecuador City), Weverton (Palmeiras)
and Paraguay. Tite said the squad an- Defenders: Dani Alves (São
nounced for the matches in Paulo), Danilo, Alex Sandro
Brazil coach Tite said the Porto Alegre on June 4 and (Juventus), Renan Lodi (At-
38-year-old Alves and the in Asuncion four days later is letico Madrid), Éder Militão
36-year-old Silva were called not necessarily for the Copa (Real Madrid), Lucas Verís-
up because they are "athletes America, which kicks off on simo (Benfica), Marquinhos
who happen to play soccer." June 13. (Paris Saint-Germain), Thia-
go Silva (Chelsea)
Alves, a former Barcelona Brazil last played in Novem- Midfielders: Casemiro (Real
right back, is one of the key ber, when it beat Uruguay Madrid), Douglas Luiz (As-
players for Sao Paulo, while 2-0. Tite said the six months ton Villa), Everton Ribeiro
Silva has reached the Cham- of inactivity has hurt the (Flamengo), Fabinho (Liv-
pions League final with team. erpool), Fred (Manches-
Chelsea. ter United), Lucas Paquetá
"This halt affected all South (Lyon)
Brazil leads the South Amer- American teams. It is a real- Forwards: Everton (Benfica),
ican qualifying group with ity we wouldn't like to live," Roberto Firmino (Liver-
four wins from four matches, Tite said. "But we will have to pool), Gabriel Barbosa (Fla- chester City), Neymar (Paris (Everton), Vinicius Junior
two points ahead of Argen- be able to move other instru- mengo), Gabriel Jesus (Man- Saint-Germain), Richarlison (Real Madrid)

Atlético can clinch title with win and Madrid stumble

(AP) — With a little help from Carrasco and Ángel Correa. Madrid Midfielder Koke Resurrección and but I understand that there are ques-
their hated local rivals, Atlético kept pace on Thursday with a 4-1 vic- defender José Giménez are the only tions (about me) after our second half
Madrid can clinch its first Span- tory at Granada. holdouts from that championship (against Levante)," Koeman said after
ish league title in seven years on team seven years ago. Koke made his the draw. "We must keep going. We
Sunday. "I didn't watch Atlético's game yester- 500th appearance for Atlético against have to prepare for next season."
day. Everyone is focused on their own Sociedad.
Atlético leads defending champion thing," Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut The big question for Barcelona is
Real Madrid by two points with two Courtois said after beating Granada. "The only thing that matters is the if the Copa del Rey title it won last
matches remaining and will win the work I have put in all these years and month will be enough to convince
title if it beats Osasuna at home and "Atletico feel confident because have to keep going," Koke said about Lionel Messi to stay when his con-
Madrid fails to win at Athletic Bilbao. they've won. We have to focus on his milestone. "(But) I care about the tract expires in a few weeks.
what we do ourselves and win our team, not what I achieve individually,
Any other combination of results will games," Courtois said. "There's an- and I hope that we can have the per- KROOS OUT
send it to the final round, and pos- other final coming up against Athletic fect finish to the season by winning Madrid will be without midfielder
sibly bring Barcelona back into the this Sunday and after the game we'll the league title." Toni Kroos for the game at Bilbao af-
mix. Atletico visits Valladolid and look at the Atlético result." ter the club said he was in isolation
Madrid hosts Villarreal on the final The field to win the most tightly con- after being in close contact with a
weekend. Madrid holds the head-to- Before joining Madrid via a stint at tested league in years was essentially person with COVID-19.
head tiebreaker if they finish even on Chelsea, Courtois helped Atlético reduced to two after both Barcelona
points. win its last league title in 2014. Since and Sevilla failed to keep pace. Kroos has tested negative, Madrid
then, Barcelona and Madrid have re- said.
Atlético protected its lead on Wednes- turned to divvying up the titles be- Sevilla was always a long shot, but the
day by beating Real Sociedad 2-1 tween them. team really fell out of touch after only Kroos has been a key player for Zi-
with goals from forwards Yannick one win in its last three games. It is dane this season. The German inter-
six points back, and Atlético holds the national leads his team with 10 assists.
tiebreaker over Sevilla.
SOME FANS RETURN
But Barcelona had put itself right Two games will have the first fans
in the thick of things after going 19 back in the stands for a top-tier match
matches without a loss, only for its in Spain since the start of the pan-
defense to let it down over the past demic 14 months ago.
month. The team has conceded seven
goals in its last four games, including Health authorities announced this
a loss and back-to-back draws. week that fans could return in a lim-
ited number to matches in regions
Barcelona's hugely disappointing with low rates of coronavirus. With
3-3 draw against Levante in a match very few areas of Spain qualifying,
it led both 2-0 and 3-2 on Tuesday only Valencia vs. Eibar and Villarreal
left it four points behind Atlético. vs. Sevilla in the eastern region of
The team, which hosts Celta Vigo Valencia will be allowed to have fans
on Sunday, would need both Atlético present at the games.
and Madrid to fall apart to pull off a
remarkable comeback. Those stadiums will be limited to a
maximum of 5,000 people. Only fans
Ronald Koeman's future at Barcelona from the home team will be allowed
could depend on the outcome. in to discourage travel, and face masks
and social distancing are mandatory
"Coaches are always under scrutiny, inside the stadium.