Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi Arabia welcomes Palestinian leadership reforms, appointment of Hussein Al-Sheikh    Ministry of Hajj issued over 150,000 Nusuk cards for the Hajj of 2025    Saudi Arabia deports 12,866 illegal residents in a week    Pope Francis laid to rest at historic funeral in Rome    Massive explosion at Iran's Shahid Rajaee Port injures over 500 people    SFDA clears first 44-ton medical shipment for Hajj pilgrims    Over 13 million worshipers pray at Rawdah Sharif in a year    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Barca refocus energy on title bid after European miracle
Published in Alriyadh on 10 - 03 - 2017

Barcelona face the challenge of coming down from the high of their epic Champions League comeback against Paris St Germain when they renew their bid for a third successive La Liga title with a visit to Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.
Pipping rivals Real Madrid to the title looked to be Barca's best chance of salvaging what had been a disappointing campaign although Wednesday's remarkable 6-1 win over PSG, which took them into the quarter-finals of the Champions League, has given them belief of a second treble in three years.
"We have never been cautious and we want to win the three competitions," said Luis Enrique, whose side will play Alaves in the King's Cup final in May.
"It's a shame that we have to get back to work immediately as the players would like to have time to celebrate this with their families but we have to get back to training because if we have one bad game we'll get beaten. You always have to improve."
Barca have won their last six league games and scored 17 goals in their last three in all competitions, although Deportivo have improved under new coach Pepe Mel and should provide a sterner test for the Catalans than their last visit to Riazor, where they won 8-0 last season.
The former West Bromwich Albion and Real Betis manager Mel is unbeaten in three games with Deportivo, overseeing draws at home to Atletico Madrid and Betis and a win over Sporting Gijon since Gaizka Garitano was sacked following four straight losses.
Barca lead Real by one point in the standings although Zinedine Zidane's side have a game in hand and will be ready to pounce on any slip up by the champions when they host Betis, who they thumped 6-1 in October.
Betis have won just two league games in 2017.
Real also reached the Champions League quarter-finals by seeing off Napoli 3-1 on Tuesday to cap a 6-2 aggregate win over the Italians although Zidane faced renewed questions about his team's style of play after a torrid first half in Naples.
The front three of Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale struggled to click, making just seven passes between themselves, and it took two headers from inspirational Sergio Ramos to turn the game back in Real's favour after they trailed 1-0 before the break.
Zidane, who has a habit of keeping his cool in public appearances and calmly swatting away criticism about his side, said he was not overly concerned by his side's display in the fervent atmosphere of the San Paolo stadium.
"I'm not worried by our first half even though it's true we should have done better," he said.
"When you play at a ground like this you'll always have problems but we were much better in the second half."


Clic here to read the story from its source.