Fifa is poised to elect Sepp Blatter’s replacement, but don’t hold your breath for real reform February 18, 2016 Ever since the long arm of the FBI swept into Zurich’s plush hotels to arrest high-ranking Fifa officials nine months ago, the house has come crashing down on Sepp Blatter and many of his cronies. With president Blatter and Michel Platini, his counterpart at European confederation Uefa, all but banished from the game after Fifa’s [...]
Leicester City’s owner will be able to sell club for more than 10 times what he paid for it if Foxes win the Premier League February 18, 2016 A debt-laden, second tier club who had never won the top-flight title may have not appeared to be the most failsafe investment when Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha bought Leicester City for £39m in 2010. But if the Foxes, who have provided the story of the season so far with an unlikely charge to the top of the [...]
Gareth Bale’s Real Madrid transfer faces European probe after British MEP Daniel Dalton demands investigation into possible use of taxpayers’ money in world record £86m transfer February 18, 2016 Real Madrid’s world record £86m signing of Gareth Bale from Tottenham could come under investigation from the European Commission after concerns were raised over the role of bailed-out Spanish banks. Conservative Daniel Dalton and two fellow MEPs have formally asked the Commission to probe the 2013 deal in light of leaked documents purporting to relate [...]
Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo issues perfect riposte in away goals row February 17, 2016 Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo provided the perfect riposte to criticism of his away goalscoring record as his side took a giant stride towards the Champions League last eight with a 2-0 victory against Roma . Former Manchester United attacker Ronaldo stormed out of a pre-match press conference on Tuesday after being quizzed about his [...]
Dyke confirms FA backing for Infantino in Fifa president battle February 17, 2016 Football Association chiefs yesterday confirmed their intention to support acting European boss Gianni Infantino’s candidacy for the presidency of crisis-hit world governing body Fifa at next week’s election. European governing body Uefa’s general secretary Infantino is one of five candidates bidding to replace outgoing president Sepp Blatter, who announced in June that he would stand down [...]
Pochettino vows not to sacrifice Europa League in bid to preserve Premier League title tilt February 17, 2016 Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has dismissed suggestions that he could sacrifice the Europa League to concentrate on his side’s bid to secure a first top-flight title since 1961. Second-placed Spurs closed the gap on Premier League leaders Leicester to two points with victory at rivals Manchester City at the weekend, while they host Crystal Palace [...]
Blow for United and England as skipper Wayne Rooney set for six-week absence February 17, 2016 Manchester United’s turbulent season received a further battering yesterday with the news that skipper Wayne Rooney has suffered a knee ligament injury and is set to be sidelined for six weeks. Rooney will miss tonight’s Europa League last-32 clash with Danish champions FC Midtjylland, while a six-week absence could mean he will be unavailable for [...]
England are looking good for World T20 but there remains a conundrum to fathom February 17, 2016 England have most bases covered, the right players are in and around the side and I believe next month’s World T20 can be approached with a huge amount of confidence. They do, however, still need to resolve the issue of their death bowling. I have written about it before but England chop and change their [...]
Ezequiel Lavezzi to become one of the highest paid players in the world after swapping PSG for Hebei China Fortune February 17, 2016 For Argentina forward Ezequiel Lavezzi, Hebei China Fortune certainly live up to their name. The Chinese Super League club have made the former Paris Saint-Germain man one of the highest paid players in world football after handing him a two-year contract worth £400,000-a-week. Lavezzi, 30, joins former Premier League players Stephane M'Bia, Gervinho and Gael Kakuta at [...]
Premier League clubs could be offered cash incentives to take the Europa League seriously February 17, 2016 The Premier League is considering offering its clubs in the Europa League cash incentives to take the competition seriously in order to retain its Uefa coefficient ranking. English clubs are in danger of losing one of their four Champions League spots to Italy following recent under-performance in Uefa competition from Premier League clubs. Tottenham Hotspur [...]