He rejects reports that Israel had agreed to end the war as part of a deal to free the hostages
mena10 hours ago
Fresh from securing Copa Libertadores glory for Club Atletico River Plate, midfielder Leonardo Ponzio believes the South American club champions' pursuit of more silverware at the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2018 will be defined by the smallest of details - including not looking beyond their first match, a semifinal against one of Al Ain FC, Team Wellington FC or Esperance de Tunis on Tuesday.
"The first game is the most important: if we lose the first match, we will already be playing for third or fourth, which is not good. The second thing is to know that if we face a big club like Real Madrid, or in our case Barcelona in 2015, we have to be doubly attentive in every single detail," said Ponzio.
As part of the River Plate team that lost 3-0 to a dominant FC Barcelona in the 2015 Fifa Club World Cup final, Ponzio, 36, understands the significance and magnitude of the tournament - as well as the pain of losing a final.
"The Fifa Club World Cup is very important," said the veteran. "It's very important because we went through many things to win this Copa Libertadores title and now we have the chance to face the champions of all the continents. It's a situation that appears like we are dreaming, but it's real. We are happy to be in the UAE and we will try to enjoy this moment to the fullest. Let's see what happens on the pitch."
Should River Plate progress from their semifinal, Ponzio will serve as the lynchpin in a defensive shield intended to keep the much-fancied Real Madrid CF at bay.
Ponzio expects the somewhat stuttering domestic form of Real Madrid, who face their own semifinal against the winner of the clash between CONCACAF champions Guadalajara and Asian champions Kashima Antlers of Japan, to count for nothing when the history-making Uefa Champions League winners take the field in the UAE.
"We have to be realistic: these big teams do not fade or decline. Real Madrid is the most successful team in Europe, they deserve our utmost respect. We can't kid ourselves," said Ponzio, before adding: "There are some clubs that demand respect. In South America, we are respected, just as Real Madrid is in Europe. We must think only about ourselves."
He rejects reports that Israel had agreed to end the war as part of a deal to free the hostages
mena10 hours ago
The reigning champions will clinch an unprecedented fourth successive English title if they win their last three matches
sports10 hours ago
Míchel Sánchez's side qualified for the Champions League for the first time in the club's history
sports11 hours ago
The Tractor Boys finish the season on 96 points – just one fewer than champions Leicester - to go from the third tier to the first in successive seasons
sports11 hours ago
A third win in a row pushed the Bengaluru side to seventh place on the points table
sports11 hours ago
The World Food Program is one of the many humanitarian groups trying to get aid into Gaza
mena11 hours ago
In Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, the Guaiba lake broke its banks, flooding streets
americas12 hours ago
Khan, 53, who became the first Muslim mayor of the British capital in 2016, has pledged to build more social housing
europe13 hours ago