Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/990836
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 JUNE 2018 21 GOALKEEPER Gianluigi Buf- fon has been suspended for three games by UEFA in the wake of his red card and behav- iour during Juventus' Champi- ons League quarter-final against Real Madrid. Buffon was sent off in the sec- ond leg of the tie after protesting to referee Michael Oliver about the Englishman's decision to award a stoppage-time penalty against the Italian side, which led to Real's winning goal. "The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body has de- cided to suspend the Juventus Football Club player Gianluigi Buffon for three (3) UEFA competition matches for which he would be otherwise eligi- ble," the governing body said in a statement. Fellow Serie A side Roma were fined and banned from selling tickets to their own fans for their next away game in UEFA competition follow- ing crowd disturbances in their semi-final with Liverpool. Roma received a $50,000 (£43,600) fine from UEFA and were given a two-match ban on selling away tickets, with the second deferred under a pro- bationary period of two years. Charges against Liverpool from their home match against Roma will be discussed at the body's next meeting. DOMINIC Thiem is the first man into the semi-finals of the French Open after he crushed Alex Zverev 6-4 6-2 6-1. Zverev admitted his French Open exertions had finally caught up with him after los- ing to Thiem. Second seed Zverev had fought through three consec- utive five-setters and spent almost two and a half hours longer on court than Thiem. So it came as no surprise when the 21-year-old Ger- man, in the last eight of a grand slam for the first time, began to cramp up badly. He suffered a muscle injury in his leg during the first set and had it heavily strapped up by the trainer during the second. Canny Thiem, the seventh seed from Austria, consist- ently served wide to get his opponent stretching before working him all around the court. Zverev needed more run- ning repairs at the start of the third set but it was to no avail, Thiem ending his entertain- ing run with a comprehensive 6-4 6-2 6-1 victory. "How close was I to pulling out? I thought about it. I defi- nitely thought about it," said Zverev. "But, you know, I didn't want to pull out for the first time of my career in a grand slam quarter-final. "I knew I wasn't going to win the match. There was no way for me. I mean, I could barely move. I couldn't serve. I couldn't really do anything. "But I still wanted to finish the match and kind of give the credit to Dominic. He de- serves to be in the semi-finals. End on a loss and not on a re- tirement. "I actually felt good today. Waking up in the morning, I actually felt 'OK I can play five sets again'. "I thought it was going to be a tough, physical match, but unfortunately my body didn't hold up." For Thiem, the seventh seed from Austria, a third consecu- tive Paris semi-final beckons. "It was tough for him today, he's one of the fittest guys on tour," he said. "It's tough to play three five-setters in a row. "I hope that we have many more encounters against each other at this stage or even lat- er in a grand slam." SPORTS MOUNTAIN BIKE FOORBALL TENNIS Buffon given three-game suspension French Open: Dominic Thiem breezes past fatigued Alex Zverev Gianluigi Buffon and his Juventus team-mates don't agree with referee Michael Oliver Dominic Thiem has his eyes on the prize in Paris