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sports Diahuebs 29 aPRiL 2021

Madrid glad it's still in it after struggles against Chelsea

MADRID (AP) — Things try to win the game."
didn't go well for Real Ma-
drid right from the start Madrid looked lost at the
against Chelsea in the start, with its three central
first leg of the Champions defenders — Raphael Varane,
League semifinals. Nacho Fernández and Éder
Militão — unable to contain
Despite being the home the Chelsea forwards.
team, Madrid's setup with
three defenders failed miser- Timo Werner and Christian
ably at the Alfredo Di Stéfa- Pulisic were comfortable up
no Stadium on Tuesday with front and didn't have trouble
Chelsea easing through the finding spaces behind the
defense and taking control Madrid defense. Fullbacks
early on. Marcelo and Dani Carvajal
didn't to much in attack and
The English team scored struggled to help defensively.
once and could have added Pulisic became the first Unit-
a few more before Madrid ed States international to
equalized from a set piece be- score in a Champions League in the second half to move Ferland Mendy on Tuesday. area.
fore halftime. semifinal match with his goal away from the initial setup
in the 14th minute, when he of three central defenders Ramos was out because of The goal was Benzema's 71st
It was only a 1-1 home draw, received a pass unmarked and finally improve the team suspensions when Madrid in the Champions League,
but there was reason for the inside the area and calmly defensively. Zidane has pre- was eliminated in the round moving him level with Raúl
Spanish powerhouse to cel- got past goalkeeper Thibaut ferred the 3-5-2 scheme re- of 16 in the last two seasons. González in fourth position
ebrate the result. Courtois before finding the cently but had already been in the competition's all-time
net. forced to switch from it in Madrid was far from its best scoring list.
"It was complicated," Madrid the middle of other games in attack as well on Tuesday,
coach Zinedine Zidane said. The second leg will be on this season. largely because of Chelsea's Madrid is still in contention
"It's a Champions League May 5 in London, when 13- good setup defensively un- for the Spanish league title
semifinal and you are playing time champion Madrid will Zidane hopes to have the re- der manager Thomas Tuchel. but Zidane has already in-
against a good team. You have need to score at least once turn of some key defensive Madrid struggled to create dicated he will rest some of
to suffer and we suffered, but to return to the Champions players for the second leg, significant scoring opportu- his regular starters in Satur-
I'm happy for the players be- League final after a two-year including captain Sergio Ra- nities and only found the net day's match against Osasuna
cause we are still alive and we absence. mos, who has been sidelined off a 29th-minute set piece to keep his team fresh for the
know that we have to go to with an injury. Zidane also that ended with a nice finish second leg against Chelsea.
London and score goals and Zidane had to make changes couldn't count on left back by Karim Benzema inside the

Cavaliers' Love sorry for on-court tantrum: 'That wasn't me'

CLEVELAND (AP) — call as what he called a "ther- ment that I got caught up in." "I don't care. I love this game.
Kevin Love spoke from his The five-time All-Star apolo- apy session" to express his I'll always love this game. I
heart. Over 13 minutes, he gized Wednesday for his on- feelings about dealing with Late in the third quarter hope I can play as many years
apologized, lectured and court tantrum two days ago an injury this season, his against Toronto, a frustrated as I possibly can."
asked for forgiveness and in a game against Toronto, leadership role in Cleveland Love, who was upset with the
understanding. saying his behavior was out and continued struggle with officials for some non-calls, Coach J.B. Bickerstaff called
of line and out of character — mental health. angrily tapped the ball back Love's actions a "lapse in
He regrets his fit of frustra- but that it had nothing to do into play on an inbounds judgment."
tion but said it shouldn't de- with any frustration toward "I (messed) up," Love said, pass. The loose ball was
fine him. his teammates or coaches. using an expletive to open his grabbed by the Raptors, who It's not known if the Cava-
remarks. "Everyone knows made a 3-pointer and went liers will discipline Love by
"That wasn't me," Love said. Love did not take any ques- that. My intent wasn't to dis- on to win 112-96. benching him for any up-
"I apologize for that moment. tions from reporters after respect the game, my intent coming games. Cleveland
It was an ugly one. It was one speaking passionately about wasn't even for the damn ball Video of the tantrum went vi- hosts Orlando on Wednesday.
that was not ill-intentioned." the incident, using the Zoom to go inbounds. It was a mo- ral on social media, and Love
was blistered by fans and me- Love said he didn't real-
dia for behavior called "child- ize how bad the incident
ish" and "unacceptable." looked until after the game
and he felt embarrassed and
Love took exception to some ashamed.
of the criticism, saying he felt
aspects of his behavior were The Cavaliers were miss-
"a little blown out of propor- ing seven players with inju-
tion." ries for the game, and Love's
outburst only compounded
"I just hope that you judge things for a young team
my character, judge me as a stumbling to the season's
man," said Love, who helped end. Cleveland is 21-40.
the Cavaliers win an NBA ti-
tle in 2016 and signed a four- Love said he has only respect
year, $120 million contract for Bickerstaff and his team-
extension two years later. "I mates. He believes they've ac-
mean, the basketball stuff, cepted his apology knowing
you can crush me, you can how hard he has worked this
kill me by any means, I'll take season to come back from a
that on the chin all day. calf injury that sidelined him
for two months.