Thursday, 23 April 2015

Qatar launch stunning Al Rayyan stadium design for World Cup 2022... with air conditioning provided to keep players cool

Qatar's Supreme Committee unveil new 40,000-seat stadium for World CupThe Al Rayyan Stadium is fifth 2022 venue and will be completed in 2019

Stadium features 'cooling technology' for fans and players comfort

Qatar launch stunning Al Rayyan stadium design for World Cup 2022... with air conditioning

Qatar have unveiled the design for their fifth World Cup stadium, a 40,000-seater ground built in 'the gateway to the desert' and featuring air conditioning for the comfort of players and fans.

The Al Rayyan Stadium is inspired by sand dunes and its design has been produced by UK-based architecture firms Ramboll and Pattern.

Fans in the stands will sit in a comfortable 24-28 degrees Celsius, while paths and walkways leading to the stadium will also be cooled.

Al Rayyan will hold matches up to the quarter-final stage of the 2022 tournament and after the World Cup its capacity will be almost halved to 21,000 seats, with the removable upper tier sent to developing nations.

The new stadium, set to be completed in the early months of 2019, now has a more traditional look than the previously-mooted design which featured a huge screen referred to as a 'digital skin'.

Sitting on the site of a now-deconstructed ground, Al Rayyan's facade includes seven patterns representing different aspects of Qatari culture which designers say 'blend together to tell the story of a nation'.

A mosque, aquatics centre, athletics track, cricket pitch, tennis courts and a hockey pitch are being built nearby, along with a new medical centre and the already-planned Mall of Qatar.

A mosque, aquatics centre, athletics track, cricket pitch, tennis courts and hockey pitch are being built nearby

Real Madrid better WITHOUT Gareth Bale as Champions League holders boast 100 per cent win record without him in starting XI

Gareth Bale has not started eight of Real Madrid's matches this season
In the games he has missed, Real boast a 100 per cent win record
Real have scored 25 goals and conceded just one without the Welshman
In the 42 matches that Bale has started, Real's win record is 69 per cent

Real Madrid's Champions League victory over city rivals Atletico on Wednesday night marked the eighth match Gareth Bale has not started this season... and Real have won every single one.

The Welshman has received some criticism from sections of the Bernabeu support despite a bright start in Madrid, and these remarkable stats will do nothing to help his popularity at the club.

The £86million man has missed out on just eight starts in Real Madrid's 50 matches this term, but his team-mates have picked up a 100 per cent win record when he has been away, scoring 25 and conceding just one goal.

Gareth Bale has not started eight of Real Madrid's matches this season, through injury and omission

His latest injury, suffered against Malaga, meant he missed Wednesday night's Champions League game

Bale's time on the sidelines has coincided with huge matches against Barcelona, two Champions League ties with Liverpool (in which he entered the fray as a 62nd-minute substitute at the Bernabeu), and Wednesday night's European quarter-final against Atletico... but it seems the rest of the Real squad are just fine without him.

In the first half of the season, Bale suffered a buttock muscle injury while on international duty with Wales, and he missed La Liga matches against Levante (5-0 win), Barcelona (3-1 win), Granada (4-0 win) and a 3-0 Champions League victory against Liverpool.

He was in contention for the return leg against Liverpool at the Bernabeu, but did not start the match, instead coming on as a second-half substitute. Real were 1-0 up when he came on, and the score remained the same until the final whistle.

In December, Madrid were already leading 4-1 against third-tier side Cornella in their Copa del Rey tie heading into the second leg, and Carlo Ancelotti opted to rest some of his biggest names.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos and Bale were all among the stars watching on from the sidelines as Los Blancos recorded a comfortable 5-0 win. That's six games without Bale in the starting line-up, and six wins for Real.

Moving into 2015, Bale played a major role in the team's start to the year, scoring 12 goals between his return to the side against Celta Vigo and his omission against Eibar on April 11.

Ancelotti stated in the build-up to the match that he had decided to rest the Welshman, while the team went on to win 3-0 against their struggling opposition.

Bale again returned the side for two matches, a goalless draw against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and a win against Malaga in La Liga, but suffered a calf injury in the early stages of the latter domestic clash.

Instead of taking to the field in the crucial European match on Wednesday night, Bale was resigned to watching the match from home, where he tweeted his support of the team.

Javier Hernandez's late goal ensured another victory for Ancelotti's men, taking their Bale-less record to eight wins, no draws and no losses.

With the Welshman, Real have a 69 per cent win record, far from disastrous, recording 29 wins, four draws and nine losses.

But the stats without him will surely give ammunition to those unhappy with their £86million man.

Arsenal fans should give Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas a good welcome... I wish he had never left us, says Arsene Wenger

Arsenal face Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon
Cesc Fabregas makes his first return to his former club in the clash
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants fans to respect ex-players
The Gunners had the chance to re-sign Fabregas but he went to Chelsea
Wenger refuses to say if he regrets that but admits he wishes he never left

Arsene Wenger has called on Arsenal supporters to give Cesc Fabregas the reception he deserves when he makes his return to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

The midfielder excelled at Arsenal but has not been back since he left for Barcelona in 2011.

The fact he moved to Chelsea on his summer return to English football has no doubt been a sore point, but Wenger said: 'I want every player to be respected, and Cesc Fabregas, when he comes to the Emirates on Sunday, should be respected like he deserves.'

Cesc Fabregas returns to Arsenal on Sunday and Arsene Wenger hopes fans will give him a good reception

Wenger wants 'respect' for the club's former players and counts Fabregas as a man who deserves that

Gunners fans offer their good luck to Fabregas in 2011, but the reception is likely to be more frosty this time

Asked if he regretted not signing Fabregas in the summer when he had the option to, Wenger added: 'The regret I have is that he wanted to leave here.

'This club and myself had a very positive influence on Cesc’s life, so I would be a bit uncomfortable to have to justify today why he is not here. I believe I would rather it was the other way around.'

Fabregas set up Diego Costa's goal in Chelsea's 2-0 win in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge in December and was booed by the away end whenever he was in possession of the ball.

Arsene Wenger: I regret that Cesc Fabregas wanted to leave

The midfielder set up Diego Costa to seal a 2-0 victory for Chelsea against Arsenal earlier this season

Fabregas, 27, has been integral to the Blues' Barclays Premier League title challenge this season after joining from Barcelona last summer.

He has managed three goals and 16 assists in the Premier League since his return to the English top flight.

Wenger is expected to be without Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mikel Arteta on Sunday, while Per Mertesacker is '50-50' for the game having missed training for much of this week.

Fabregas gets ahead of his now-team-mate Branislav Ivanovic to score against Chelsea for Arsenal in 2010

Arsenal can beat Chelsea, says Arsene Wenger... despite his awful record against rival Jose Mourinho

Arsenal face table-topping Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday
Cesc Fabregas returns to the Emirates with Chelsea for the first time
Arsene Wenger says his record against Jose Mourinho will have no impact
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mikel Arteta are set to miss out on the game
Per Mertesacker is '50-50' for the game having not trained at all

Arsene Wenger insists his woeful record against Jose Mourinho will have no bearing on Arsenal's top-of-the-table clash with Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Wenger has failed to win in 12 games against Mourinho across the Portuguese coach's two spells at Stamford Bridge, drawing five and losing seven of their clashes.

But the Arsenal manager says the past shared between the two managers on the touchline in Sunday's 4pm kick-off will be irrelevant as the Barclays Premier League's top two sides face off.

Arsene Wenger has drawn five and lost seven of his 12 clashes with Jose Mourinho ahead of facing Chelsea

Wenger and Mourinho rowed on the touchline in October's 2-0 win for Chelsea in the reverse fixture

'I think we have not always lost in 12 attempts. We have been close,' Wenger said. 'Having said that, the result on Sunday will just be down to the performance on the day. We are on a good run and we have an opportunity at home to beat them and we want to take it.

'We have a good run of form and good belief and solidarity. We have passed many tests recently when we were questioned. We have another test on Sunday that we want to pass.

'Chelsea's strengths are they have been very efficient on counter attacks and set-pieces as well. We have to nullify their strengths.'

Asked about his frosty relationship with Mourinho, Wenger said: 'I do not want to talk about that. What is interesting for people is when the game starts at 4pm we have a great game. It is not about the relationship between the managers.'

Arsenal are 10 points behind Chelsea but come into the game on the back of excellent form.

Wenger said: 'Look, mathematically it will be possible, yes, but Chelsea has their future and the championship in their hands. We can get closer and we have an opportunity to do that at home and want to take it.'

Wenger added: 'They have been very consistent until now. They have fewer losses than any team. The Premier League rewards consistency. On that front they gave been defensively very strong and consistent.'

Sunday's game marks the return of former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who will be wearing Chelsea blue at the Emirates for the first time. Fabregas left for Barcelona in 2011.

Arsenal supporters are expected to give their former hero a hot reception after he joined their fierce rivals, but Wenger has asked for some respect for one of their best players of the last decade.

'I want every player to be respected, and Cesc Fabregas when he comes to the Emirates on Sunday to be respected like he deserves,' he said.

Asked if he regretted not signing Fabregas in the summer when he had the option to, Wenger added: 'The regret I have is that he wanted to leave here.

Wenger is without Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mikel Arteta on Sunday, while Per Mertesacker is rated as '50-50' by his manager having not trained at all this week.

Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Real Madrid - who will win the Champions League? Our reporters have their say...

Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Real Madrid make up last four
Real Madrid are looking to retain their title and win for the 11th time
Barcelona have won three Champions Leagues since 2006
Bayern Munich are five-time winners and last won at Wembley in 2013
Juventus' two European Cup wins came in 1985 and 1996

The semi-final line-up for the Champions League has been confirmed and, although there may be no English involvement, four European giants are just three games from being crowned champions of the continent in Berlin on

June 6.

With Real Madrid and Juventus winning on Wednesday to join Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the last four, this season's competition is one of the toughest to call in recent memory.

Barcelona:

Momentum is key at this point in the season and Barcelona are in overdrive. Their early-season woes are a distant memory and Luis Enrique is finally getting his point across. Lionel Messi remains phenomenal and a certain Luis Suarez is hitting top gear just at the right time.

Bayern Munich:

They overcame their blip (the rip in the seam of Pep's trousers) to power their way beyond Porto in the second leg of the quarter-final and remind everyone just how good they are. They have much to prove after last season's disappointment but they are a phenomenal team. I expect them to draw Barcelona in the semi-final.

Real Madrid:

They might be depleted by injuries but experience and pedigree count in this competition and, as we saw against Atletico Madrid, you can never count against the 10-time winners. Or, indeed, a certain Ronaldo.

Juventus:

Carlos Tevez, Paul Pogba and Gianluigi Buffon - experience, goals and know-how. Tevez isn't Messi (or Cristiano Ronaldo), Pogba isn't Thomas Muller and Buffon isn't Manuel Neuer: Yes, they are ugly bugs on a catwalk of super powers, but they CAN win this. After all, Denmark and Greece both won the Euros.