PARIS: Chelsea will play either the winners of the Asian Champions League or Mexican side Monterrey in the semifinals of December’s Club World Cup in Japan, after the draw for the tournament was made by FIFA yesterday.
The identity of the team representing Asia in the annual intercontinental competition will not be known until the final of the Asian Champions League on Nov. 10.
The other quarterfinal will be contested by the champions of Africa and the winners of a play-off between Oceania champions Auckland City of New Zealand and the winners of Japan’s national football championship.
The Japanese top flight concludes on December 1, while four teams are in contention to win the African Champions League, with Sunshine Stars (Nigeria), Al Ahly (Egypt), TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Esperance (Tunisia) all through to the semi-finals.
The victors in the second quarterfinal will tackle South American champions Corinthians in the other last-four tie.
Chelsea qualified for the tournament by beating Bayern Munich on penalties in May’s UEFA Champions League final and Roberto di Matteo’s side will be seeking to succeed Barcelona as World Club champions.
Japan has hosted five of the last seven tournaments, but the next two editions of the competition are scheduled to take place in Morocco.
“Japan was terribly affected on March 11 last year (by a tsunami and a nuclear disaster) and we’d already decided to return to Japan,” said FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
“We’ve also organized the women’s Under-20 World Cup there (in August and September). This will be the last time and I’m sure it’ll be a testament to the Japanese federation’s organizational qualities.” The major news at the ninth edition of the tournament will be the use of goal-line technology, after lawmakers the International FA Board approved its introduction in July.
Two companies have been authorized to provide the requisite technology: Hawk-Eye, which uses cameras to track the movement of the ball; and GoalRef, which features the installation of a magnetic field in the goalmouth and a microchip in the ball.
All eight previous competitions have been won by clubs from either Europe (5) or South America (3), with only one team from another continent — TP Mazembe, in 2010 — having managed to reach the final.
2012 Club World Cup draw:
December 6
At Yokohama, Japan
Play-off match
Japanese champions vs. Auckland City (NZL)
December 9
At Toyota, Japan
Quarterfinals
Play-off winners vs. African champions.
Asian champions vs. Monterrey (MEX).
December 12
At Toyota
Semifinal
Winners of quarterfinal 1 vs. Corinthians (BRA)
Fifth-place play-off
Losers of quarterfinal 2 vs. Losers of quarterfinal 1
December 13
At Yokohama
Semifinal
Winners of quarterfinal 2 vs. Chelsea (ENG)
December 16
At Yokohama
Final
Winners of semifinal 1 vs. Winners of semifinal 2
Third-place play-off
Losers of semifinal 1 vs. Losers of semifinal 2
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Chelsea learns Club World Cup fate
Chelsea learns Club World Cup fate
‘Animals in a zoo’: Swiatek backs Gauff call for more privacy
- Coco Gauff upset when cameras caught her smashing her racquet in the depths of the stadium on Tuesday after she was beaten in the Australian Open quarter-finals
MELBOURNE: World number two Iga Swiatek on Wednesday backed Coco Gauff’s call for more privacy during tournaments, saying players sometimes feel “like animals in the zoo where they are observed even when they poop.”
Third seed Gauff was upset when cameras caught her smashing her racquet in the depths of the stadium on Tuesday after she was beaten in the Australian Open quarter-finals.
The American was trying to find somewhere private to let out her frustrations, rather than doing so on court in front of fans including children.
“I tried to go somewhere where they wouldn’t broadcast it, but obviously they did,” said Gauff.
“So maybe some conversations can be had because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker room.”
Swiatek, who was also bundled out of the quarter-finals in Melbourne by Elena Rybakina, said back-stage cameras could be too intrusive.
“The question is, are we tennis players, or are we animals in the zoo where they are observed even when they poop, you know?” she said.
“Okay, that was exaggerating obviously, but it would be nice to have some privacy. It would be nice also to, I don’t know, have your own process and not always be observed.
“It would be nice to have some space where you can do that without the whole world watching.”
Swiatek was caught up in her own off-court drama earlier in the week when she was denied access to an area in Melbourne Park because she was not wearing her accreditation.
It was recorded on camera and the clip did the rounds on social media.
“I don’t think it should be like that because we’re tennis players,” she said.
“We’re meant to be watched on the court and in the press. That’s our job. It’s not our job to be a meme when you forget your accreditation.
“Oh, it’s funny, yeah, for sure. People have something to talk about, but for us I don’t think it’s necessary.”
Swiatek’s straight-sets loss to Rybakina denied her a career Grand Slam of all four majors.
She has won four French Opens, the US Open and Wimbledon, but a title at Melbourne Park remains elusive.
Third seed Gauff was upset when cameras caught her smashing her racquet in the depths of the stadium on Tuesday after she was beaten in the Australian Open quarter-finals.
The American was trying to find somewhere private to let out her frustrations, rather than doing so on court in front of fans including children.
“I tried to go somewhere where they wouldn’t broadcast it, but obviously they did,” said Gauff.
“So maybe some conversations can be had because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker room.”
Swiatek, who was also bundled out of the quarter-finals in Melbourne by Elena Rybakina, said back-stage cameras could be too intrusive.
“The question is, are we tennis players, or are we animals in the zoo where they are observed even when they poop, you know?” she said.
“Okay, that was exaggerating obviously, but it would be nice to have some privacy. It would be nice also to, I don’t know, have your own process and not always be observed.
“It would be nice to have some space where you can do that without the whole world watching.”
Swiatek was caught up in her own off-court drama earlier in the week when she was denied access to an area in Melbourne Park because she was not wearing her accreditation.
It was recorded on camera and the clip did the rounds on social media.
“I don’t think it should be like that because we’re tennis players,” she said.
“We’re meant to be watched on the court and in the press. That’s our job. It’s not our job to be a meme when you forget your accreditation.
“Oh, it’s funny, yeah, for sure. People have something to talk about, but for us I don’t think it’s necessary.”
Swiatek’s straight-sets loss to Rybakina denied her a career Grand Slam of all four majors.
She has won four French Opens, the US Open and Wimbledon, but a title at Melbourne Park remains elusive.
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