Daily Mirror - 05.03.2020

(^58) DAILY MIRROR THURSDAY 05.03.2020
DM1ST
WORRIES Gianluca Vialli
fears for England friendly
By JOhn CROSS
GIANLUCA VIALLI has
admitted he does not know
whether Italy’s friendly with
England will go ahead
because of the coronavirus.
And last night the Italian
government announced all
sport in the country,
including all Serie A games,
would be played behind
closed doors until April 3.
And now Italy legend
Vialli – part of Azzurri boss
Roberto Mancini’s
backroom staff – has cast
serious doubt on England’s
Wembley friendly on March
27 going ahead.
Former Chelsea player
and boss Vialli admits it
would be a serious blow to
Euro 2020 preparations,
but there is a growing
concern because Italy has
been so badly hit by the
killer virus.
Italy has seen Serie A
games postponed,
Valencia’s Champions
League game with Italian
club Atalanta is expected to
be behind closed doors and
there are doubts over other
sporting events.
Northern Italy has been
one of the worst-hit parts in
Europe.
When asked whether the
friendly would be played,
Vialli said: “I don’t know. We
assume the game is going
to go ahead unless we are
told otherwise, but it is
difficult for us.
“We’ve scheduled this
game, but we need to be
realistic and recognise that
the governments and the
sporting authorities will
decide what we have to do
and we will do that.”
The FA have tried to play
down fears of the game
being postponed, but this
week’s Nations League
draw has highlighted the
growing crisis for football.
Eight of the 55 national
team managers – including
Scotland boss Steve Clarke

• did not even travel to
  Amsterdam for the draw
  with the Scottish FA saying
  they did not want to take
  an “unnecessary risk”.
  UEFA have even told
  their own staff not to travel
  in the next fortnight unless
  their journeys are
  absolutely essential.

Vialli: Italy

friendly at

Wembley

is in doubt

Sheffield wedneSday 0 mancheSter city 1

Aguero 53

cups and sorcerers

Aguero strikes as

Pep’s relentless

side make it 20

successive wins

in domestic ties

MANCHESTER CITY’S

rule as Premier League

champions may soon be

over, but their reign as cup

kings shows no signs of

ending.

Just three days after

lifting a third successive

League Cup, City won

their 20th successive

domestic tie to earn a

place in the FA Cup

quarter-finals.

They have not lost a

domestic tie since

was dropped to the bench.

Kevin De Bruyne did not even

make it that far, such are the

riches available to Guardiola.

Monk made six changes, even

though it was Wednesday’s

moment in the national

spotlight, leaving out Tom Lees,

Steven Fletcher and Cameron

Dawson as he handed

Wildsmith (right) his first start

since August 2018.

Monk’s policy seemed one of

damage limitation because of

their wretched form – they had

won just one of their last nine

Championship games.

Wednesday’s blue and white

even if Liverpool are about to

deprive them of the Premier

League trophy.

They should have won by

more against an Owls side who

showed little ambition in a far-

from-full Hillsborough.

Nicolas Otamendi and

Benjamin Mendy hit the

woodwork and Joe Wildsmith

frustrated City, although the

Owls’ third-choice keeper was

at fault for Aguero’s goal.

Phil Foden was brought back

down to earth with a bump

after his man-of-the-match

heroics in Sunday’s League Cup

Final win over Aston Villa as he

being humbled by Wigan in

February 2018 and in that time

they have won two League

Cups and one FA Cup.

Sergio Aguero was the

difference yet again for City and

the striker bagged his 23rd goal

of the season against Garry

Monk’s awkward Sheffield

Wednesday side.

The strike moved Aguero

clear of Wayne Rooney as the

top scorer for a Manchester

club with 254 goals.

The Blues remain the

ultimate cup specialists and

they are determined to amass

as much silverware as they can,

By davId andERSOn

@MirrorAnderson