Daily Mail, Thursday, August 29, 2019^CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 83
Saunders is
jailed over
B-test refusal
FOOTBALL
SHORTS
DEAN SAUNDERS has been
jailed for 10 weeks for
refusing to provide a
roadside breath test.
The former Liverpool and
Wales striker, 55, was
stopped by police on
suspicion of drink-driving
in Boughton, Chester on
May 10.
Saunders was slurring and
had to prop himself up
against his car when he
was asked to get out of
the vehicle, Chester
Magistrates’ Court heard.
District Judge Nicholas
Sanders called him
‘arrogant’.
Saunders told the court
he had been at Chester
Races and had drunk
two pints.
He is believed to be
appealing against the
sentence.
DERBY and Nottingham
Forest have launched a
joint investigation into
an alleged bust-up
involving Derby captain
Richard Keogh and a
Forest groundsman
following the Rams’ 3-0
Carabao Cup defeat
on Tuesday.
Keogh was left with
scratch marks on his
neck after the scuffle,
which took place on the
field as the visitors
warmed down after
the tie.
MICHAIL ANTONIO will
have a scan today to
determine the
seriousness of his
hamstring injury. The
West Ham winger, who
has had a number of
hamstring problems,
pulled up eight minutes
into the Carabao Cup win
at Newport on Tuesday.÷÷By DOMINIC KING
and ADRIAN KAJUMBAJ
URGEN KLOPP does
not believe Liverpool’s
Champions League tri-
umph will kick-start a
period of English domi-nance in the competition.
Liverpool have been finalists in the
Champions League for the past two
years and last season’s final against
Tottenham — as well as the Europa
League showdown between Chelsea
and Arsenal — suggests Premier
League clubs are leading the way.
But Klopp, who will find out
where Liverpool’s defence of the
trophy begins later this evening
when the draw is made in Monaco,
is not buying into the theory that
his team and Manchester City are
the ones to beat.
He also fears that the road back
to Istanbul, where the final is
staged next May, will be even more
arduous than the one that took
them to Kiev and Madrid.
‘I don’t think there was ever a
stronger Pot 2. It is just crazy,’ said
Klopp, pointing out that both
Madrid clubs, Borussia Dortmund,
Benfica and Tottenham are some of
the clubs outside the first group.
‘They should all be in Pot 1, but
there is not enough space there.
I don’t think there was ever astronger Pot 3. Then Pot 4 you can
get RB Leipzig. Wow!
‘The groups will be incredible. I
have no clue who will win the
Champions League. We have the
same chance like everyone else, but
that is all, and no I don’t see us, the
English teams, dominating.
‘Bayern Munich now finally
brought in Ivan Perisic and Philippe
Coutinho, which is like a big boost.
Look at the squad Borussia
Dortmund has and tell me we are
stronger than them. That is incred-
ible. They can make five changesand you think, “Really? They didn’t
play last week? Why?”
‘There are a lot of quality teams.
Juventus will be there, PSG will be
there. Whatever happens they will
find solutions. Real Madrid? Do
you think they gave up already.’
Yet Frank Lampard feels the Eng-
lish contingent have an excellent
chance of success — but concedes
that Chelsea’s Champions
League bid will be hindered by their
transfer ban.
‘It will be a big challenge for us.
We know the difficulties of the ban
etc and where we’re at. But it
shouldn’t take away from the great
challenge we have to try to do well
in it,’ the Chelsea boss said.
‘I think the Premier League is so
strong and that’s clear when you
have two teams in the final.
‘Manchester City are clearly
an absolutely top team in world
football,’ he added.Klopp: Our clubs won’t
dominate Europe again
LIVERPOOL’s Virgil van Dijk
is in illustrious company
tonight, as he is pitched
against Lionel Messi and
Cristiano Ronaldo to see
who will be crowned UEFA
men’s Player of the Year.
The shortlist was voted for
by a jury of the 80 coaches
of the clubs in the group
stages of last season’s
Champions and Europa
League, plus 55 journalists,
one from each of UEFA’s
55 member associations.
Real Madrid playmaker
Luka Modric won the
award last season. The
2019 winner will be
announced during the
group stage draw in
Monaco today. Ronaldo
has won the title three
times before, Messi twice.VIRGIL RUBS
SHOULDERS
WITH GREATS
ENGLISH CLUBS ON THE ROAD TO ISTANBUL...
l The group-stage draw is in
Monaco today at 5pm, live on
BT Sport and UEFA’s website.
l Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea
are in Pot 1. Spurs are in Pot 2.lThe group stage starts on
September 17-18 and ends
December 10-11, with the final at
Ataturk Olympic Stadium in
Istanbul on Saturday, May 30.RONALDO VAN DIJK
MESSI