The Nation Newspaper

Tag: UEFA

  • Chelsea’s perfect start helps Arrizabalaga settle in

    Chelsea’s convincing start to the Premier League campaign has helped new goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga settle in to life at Stamford Bridge, following his world record transfer, the 23-year-old has said.

    Chelsea signed Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao for 80 million euros (£72.10 million) last month and the Spaniard has kept two clean sheets in the side’s four-game winning streak to start the season.

    “I’m getting used to my new life: a new city, new team, but it’s been positive because when things start well on the pitch, it makes everything easier.

    Read Also: Chelsea’s Sarri gets winning start at Huddersfield

    Arrizabalaga, who was called up to the Spain squad for their UEFA Nations League matches against Croatia and England, said moving to London as Thibaut Courtois’ replacement had felt like the right move.

    “I’m happy to take this step, I want to enjoy it… I have felt valued. In the last few years, a lot of Spaniards have done important things here and that’s good for those of us to arrive most recently,” Arrizabalaga told Spanish paper AS.

  • Champions League: UEFA to Use VAR from Q/finals 

    UEFA has said it will introduce video Assistant Referees to the Champions League from the quarter-finals stage onwards, according to reports.

    Following its use in the 2017-18 Bundesliga and Serie A campaigns, VAR was introduced at a World Cup for the first time at the 2018 tournament this summer.

    A survey collected by agency Viga of 1,000 football fans showed that 75 per cent felt VAR improved the quality of matches and overall standard of refereeing in Russia.

    UEFA have been encouraged by VAR’s success and are now planning for the technology to be present in this season’s Champions League.

    UEFA’s club competitions committee is set to approve the system when they convene in Monaco next week and a final decision is due by the end of September.

    The stumbling block with the use of VAR in the Champions League was that resources would be stretched during the group stages, where eight matches are all played on the same night.

    Some grounds would not have the correct facilities and there were concerns that official would be over-stretched when tasked with using the system across eight games at once.

    But having proposed VAR’s use for the quarter-finals onwards, UEFA chiefs hope officials will be able to make the correct calls in the high-profile matches.

    UEFA will now have to make a decision on whether the extra match official placed behind the goal — the additional assistant referee (AAR) — is still required.

    There is also talk of the technology being used at Euro 2020 – despite the tournament being played across multiple cities.

  • FIFA meets with top clubs over $25bn investors offer

    The ruling body FIFA has met with seven leading clubs including Real Madrid and Manchester United to discuss a 25-billion dollar offer from investors for a revamped Club World Cup and a new global Nations League, the New York Times reported.

    The paper said that officials from Real, United, Manchester City, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus Turin were invited to FIFA’s Swiss headquarters on Wednesday over the controversial issue.

    The paper quoted FIFA as saying that “today’s meeting allowed us to observe a real interest for a complete reform of the Club World Cup and the development of a new model of competition that would benefit the entire football community around the world.”

    Read Also: Budweiser kicks off ‘Light Up The Fifa World Cup’ global campaign

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino revealed the offer from yet to be identified investors to the governing body’s council two months ago.

    The investors are allegedly ready to dish out a maximum 25 billion euros for the two competitions between 2021 and 2033.

    The proposal has been met with stiff resistance from various sides including Europe’s UEFA and club organizations.

    Critics fear an even more blown up match calendar and rich clubs becoming even richer.

    NAN

  • FIFA proposes biennial mini-World Cup

    FIFA President Gianni Infantino has proposed staging what would effectively be a mini-World Cup, featuring eight international teams, every two years in addition to the traditional competition.

    The tournament, known as the “Final 8”, would be the climax of a global Nations League competition.

    It is part of an ambitious plan to reform international football which FIFA believes could be worth $25 billion in a 12-year cycle.

    In a letter seen by Reuters, Infantino suggested that the new tournament would take place every October and/or November of every odd year starting from 2021.

    He said that a “solid and serious” group of investors were willing to spend $25 billion on the competition and a revamped version of the Club World Cup, which would also start in 2021 with 24 teams.

    The Confederations Cup, currently staged every four years in a year before the World Cup, would be abolished.

    The letter did not clearly indicate how many slots would be allocated to each region.

    Read Also: 2018 FIFA: South Korea to announce squad May 14

    The plans were sent by Infantino to the members of FIFA’s decision-making Council which still has to approve them.

    European soccer body UEFA and its counterpart for North and Central America and the Caribbean, CONCACAF, have already set up Nations League contests in their own continents.

    In both cases, the competitions involve all the national teams in their respective regions who are divided into divisions based on their rankings.

    There is promotion and relegation between the divisions as in conventional domestic club leagues. UEFA’s inaugural competition will begin in September this year.

    Other continents would have to set up similar competitions for the tournament to be viable.

    NAN

  • Manchester City find their “perfect’’ match with Tinder deal

    English Premier League leaders Manchester City have swiped right on a unique deal with dating app Tinder, both organisations said on Thursday.

    A day after a 3-0 loss to Liverpool in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, Manchester City announced the signing of a multi-year partnership with Tinder.

    Reports in the British media claim the deal is worth millions of pounds.

    The commercial deal will see the dating app team up with the club’s men’s and women’s sides along with sister club New York City FC.

    “Tinder is a huge global platform which, just like football, is bringing millions of people together every day all around the world,” City Football Group’s Chief Commercial Officer Tom Glick said in a statement on the club’s website.

    “Football is all about a community of fans, sharing moments, emotions and passion for the sport they love.

    Read Also: Liverpool stun Manchester City with 3-0 win at Anfield

    “Together with Tinder, we have a great opportunity to explore how we can combine Tinder’s significant appeal and reach with our global audience… We believe this will be a perfect match for Tinder and for City.”

    Tinder is a dating app owned by Match Group Inc.

    It marked the beginning of the partnership by flying a blimp in City’s club colours — light blue and white — along with logos of both organisations in Manchester on Thursday.

    The app has also changed its social media icons to match the club’s colours to show support ahead of City’s potential league title-clinching derby against bitter rivals Manchester United on Saturday.

    “Football is a sport where anything can happen at any moment,” Tinder’s VP Partnerships David Wyler said.

    “We wanted to be true to the game and do something unexpected by surprising the fans and our users with news of our partnership in a fun and creative way.”

    NAN

  • Uefa hands Everton £26,000 fine for aggression

    Uefa hands Everton £26,000 fine for aggression

     

    Everton have been fined 30,000 euros (£26,647) by Uefa after appeared to hit Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes in last month’s Europa League clash at Goodison Park.

    Everton’s Ashley Williams sparked the melee which saw a home fan appear to push Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes.

    European football’s governing body Uefa has fined the club for “aggressions by supporters against players”.

    The Toffees also reported the supporter involved in the incident, which happened at the Gwladys Street End of the ground, to Merseyside Police.

    An Everton statement shortly after the incident after the game, said that the action taken against the fan would “include a ban from attending future Everton fixtures”.

    Everton were fined £8,837 by Uefa in September, after crowd trouble during the home leg of their Europa League play-off match against Hajduk Split in August.

    A number of players from both sides were pressed up against advertising hoardings, putting them in reach of the home fans, and television footage showed one man carrying a young child trying to reach the players while shouting aggressively towards them

    The melee even involved Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who ran from one end of the pitch to the other to get involved, but despite the unsavoury scenes only Williams and Lyon match-winner Bertrand Traore were the only ones to be shown yellow cards.

    Everton acted swiftly and banned the supporter in question before Uefa on Wednesday handed down the fine

    Then manager Ronald Koeman refused to blame his players for the incident instead choosing to focus his attention on the performance of the referee.

    “I think the irritation grows in the game for our players and in my opinion that was the problem by the referee,” he argued. “The referee was Dutch but he didn’t do anything against the theatre of some of the Lyon players. (Nabil) Fekir in the first half dived 10 times.

  • Ronaldo’s 14th nomination in UEFA Team of the Year

    Ronaldo’s 14th nomination in UEFA Team of the Year

     

    Cristiano Ronaldo has been named in UEFA’s Team of the Year nominees for a record 14th time as part of an 11-strong contingent from Real Madrid, in a list that also includes fellow usual suspects Lionel Messi and Neymar.

    Madrid dominated on the domestic and European front last season, clinching a first LaLiga title since 2012 and becoming the first team to defend the Champions League.

    Portugal superstar Ronaldo was typically at the forefront of their success, scoring 25 league goals and a further 12 in Europe’s premier competition.

    Madrid team-mates Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Casemiro, Isco, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal, Marcelo, Keylor Navas and Sergio Ramos – who earned the highest percentage of votes in last year’s poll – also made the cut.

    Barcelona great Messi was prolific despite the Catalans having been mainly overshadowed by their fierce Clasico rivals, while Neymar – who departed Camp Nou for a record-breaking move to Paris Saint-Germain in the last window – is also part of the 50-strong list.

    Juventus, who won a Serie A and Coppa Italia double while also reaching the Champions League final, also have strong representation.

    Legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is joined by Argentina star Paulo Dybala, Alex Sandro, Giorgio Chiellini and Miralem Pjanic, while Leonardo Bonucci – who left Juve for AC Milan – is also included.

    Chelsea coasted to the Premier League title last term, but Eden Hazard is the Blues’ only representative.

    Manchester City’s creative king Kevin De Bruyne is nominated alongside team-mate Sergio Aguero, as are Spurs quarter Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, and Davinson Sanchez – who spent the first half of 2017 with Europa League finalists Ajax.

    Manchester United, who beat Ajax in the Europa League final, are represented by Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Paul Pogba, Antonio Valencia and David De Gea.

     

     

     

  • Cologne fined €60,000 after Emirates trouble

    Cologne fined €60,000 after Emirates trouble

     

    Cologne have been fined €60,000 by UEFA following the crowd trouble at their Europa League match with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

    Kick-off was delayed by an hour after thousands of travelling fans arrived at the stadium without tickets after marching through London.

    There were then scuffles with stewards as some supporters, who had managed to get into the stands, attempted to force their way into the away section.

    The Bundesliga club have been punished for crowd disturbances, setting off fireworks, throwing objects and acts of damage.

    In addition to the fine, they have been given a ban from selling tickets to an away game in UEFA competition, which has been deferred for two years. They have also been instructed to settle with Arsenal over damage caused by fans.

    The Gunners were charged for a blocked stairwell in the away section but will face no further punishment.

    Skenderbeu will play their next home UEFA match behind closed doors after been found guilty of racist behaviour, illicit chants and setting off fireworks against Partizan. They have also been fined €60,000.

    Braga, meanwhile, have been ordered to close part of their stadium and display an ‘#EqualGame’ banner for their next

    European match after racist behaviour against Ludogorets, while head coach Abel Ferreira has been given a one-game ban after being sent to the stands.

    Shakhtar Donetsk have also been asked to pay a €12,000 fine for fireworks offences in their Champions League match with Napoli.

  • UEFA drags Everton to court over player’s attack

    UEFA drags Everton to court over player’s attack

     

    Less than two months after receiving a heavy fine, Everton are again  facing punishment from UEFA after being charged over an ugly brawl in their Europa League clash with Lyon which fans became involved in.

    Ashley Williams was fortunate not to see red when he needlessly shoved Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes to the floor under a high ball in the 64th minute of the Toffees’ 2-1 defeat, before squaring up to Bertrand Traore.

    As the fracas spilled off the pitch towards the advertising hoardings, a man holding a child reached over and appeared to slap Lopes, while other fans were seen grabbing at the visiting players.

    An individual has been banned by Everton, who have also raised the issue with Merseyside Police.

    But European football’s governing body have taken a dim view, charging the Premier League club with “aggressions by supporters against players – Art. 16 (2) (H) of the Disciplinary Regulations”.

    A statement added: “This case will be dealt with by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on 16 November.”

    Everton were fined €10,000 in September after crowd trouble in their match with Hajduk Split.

    Just three minutes after the fracas, Williams cancelled out Nabil Fekir’s fifth-minute penalty with a thumping header, but Traore’s flick won the points for Lyon and piled more pressure on Everton boss Ronald Koeman.

  • Neymar signs five-year deal to complete world record PSG move

    Neymar signs five-year deal to complete world record PSG move

    Neymar completed his record-shattering transfer from Barcelona to Paris St Germain on Thursday, signing a five-year deal with the French club after they triggered his 222 million euros (263 million dollars) release clause.

    The 25-year-old Brazil forward, who will be presented to fans on Saturday, is committed to PSG until June 2022, the club said in a statement. Media reports have said he could earn around 550,000 euros per week.

    “Today, with the arrival of Neymar Jr, I am convinced that we will come even closer, with the support of our faithful fans, to realizing our greatest dreams,” said PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

    Both Barcelona and Spain’s La Liga questioned whether the move complied with UEFA’s financial regulations, with the club saying they would report the deal to European football’s governing body.

    The transfer doubles the previous world record fee paid when Paul Pogba moved last August from Juventus to Manchester United for a 105 million euros.

    With the Spanish giants certain to be in the market for a replacement for the Brazilian forward – and with a hefty budget to invest – the Neymar move could set off a chain reaction of deals at top clubs across Europe.

    Neymar said he was looking forward to delivering trophies for the French club.

    “I am extremely happy to join Paris St Germain,” he said in the club’s statement.

    “Since I arrived in Europe, the club has always been one of the most competitive and most ambitious.

    “And the biggest challenge, what most motivated me to join my new team mates is to help the club to conquer the titles that their fans want.

    “From today, I will do everything I can to help my new team mates, to open up new horizons for my club and to bring happiness to its millions of supporters around the world,” he said.

    Barcelona said on Thursday that Neymar’s release clause had been paid.

    Barca said in a statement on their website (www.barcelona.com) that Neymar’s legal representatives “visited in person the club’s offices and made the payment of 222 million euros…”

    The five-times European champions said they would pass on details of the operation to European soccer body UEFA “so that they can determine the disciplinary responsibilities that may arise from this case.”

    Barcelona did not specify why they believed there may be a disciplinary issue relating to the deal.

    Javier Tebas, head of La Liga had earlier said that PSG were engaged in “financial doping” and the Spanish body would also complain to UEFA.

    Tebas referred to PSG, who are owned by Qatari Sports Investments, as a “state backed club”.

    UEFA, whose financial fair play rules ban clubs from spending more than their generated revenue, declined to comment but a spokesman noted that international transfers are within the remit of global governing body FIFA.

    A source from Spain’s La Liga said earlier on Thursday that the league had rejected the payment of the clause to them after Neymar’s lawyers visited its headquarters in Madrid to try to settle the transfer and pay the fee.