FIFA vice-president Issa Hayatou has labelled claims he received bribes to vote for Qatar s 2022 World Cup bid as ridiculous allegations .
Hayatou was named in an article by The Sunday Times on June 1 as one of the football officials that received gifts from former Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohammed bin Hamman to vote for Qatar in 2010.
But the Cameroonian president of the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) denied categorically those claims in a statement on Sunday and revealed he had been given less than 24 hours to respond to The Sunday Times via email.
The email expressed fanciful allegations that Mr Hayatou would have received valuable gifts from Mr Bin Hammam and would have also been greatly pampered during a tour in Doha in December 2009…
Timo Werner will become a Chelsea star but it could still take time before the goal-starved striker lights up the Premier League, according to Frank Lampard.
Blues boss Lampard has seen Werner fail to score in any of his last nine league games, which means he is mired in his longest drought in top-flight football since 2016 when he went 11 successive matches without finding the net.
On Saturday, Chelsea make the short trip to Fulham, and a Werner goal in the west London derby would come as a major relief to the German forward, his coach and Chelsea fans who may be questioning the investment in the former RB Leipzig man.
Werner struck 28 goals in 34 Bundesliga games last season, finishing second only to Robert Lewandowski (34 goals) in the scoring stakes.
UEFA has warned it is prepared to reopen closed cases relating to Financial Fair Play if new information suggests such action is needed.
European football s governing body insists FFP has without question been successful in helping clubs avoid spiralling debts since its inception seven years ago.
However, UEFA has confirmed it would be prepared to examine former cases if it decides there was a clear abuse of the system, as shown by new evidence.
In a statement, it said: FFP has led to a step change in the health of the finances in European club football. Seven years ago, European clubs had a cumulative debt of €1.7billion. Last year it was a profit of €600million. Without question, it has been a success for the game across Europe.
FFP is a framework …
From Champions League exit to gunning down the Gunners – Atletico Madrid´s road to the Europa League
Atletico Madrid head to Lyon this week aiming to claim their third Europa League title when they take on Marseille in the final.
Coach Diego Simeone has enjoyed a remarkable European record in his time at the club, guiding his team to a continental final every other season.
After winning this competition in 2012, Simeone oversaw two Champions League final defeats to city rivals Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016.
Two years on from that latest loss, Atleti find themselves preparing for another European showpiece this time after dropping out of the Champions League following a disappointing group-stage showing.
Here, we take a look back at Atletico Madrid s route to Lyon.
Your 2018 !
: Marseille or Atlético?
— UEFA Europa League (@Euro…
Rafael Benitez has insisted Everton have no intention to sell Richarlison, as speculation over a move to Paris Saint-Germain mounts.
The Brazilian is reportedly being targeted by PSG as a replacement for Kylian Mbappe should the France star seal a sensational transfer to Real Madrid.
Richarlison has played in both of Everton s Premier League matches this season, scoring and providing an assist in the 3-1 win over Southampton.
In last week s 2-2 draw with Leeds United, no Everton player had more shots (five) or created more chances (three) than the former Watford forward, who has scored 43 goals in all competitions since his arrival in 2018.
Benitez, however, was adamant Everton will not be selling the 24-year-old, who helped Brazil claim Olympic g…
According to Marca, Atletico Madrid are going to do everything in their power to ensure Lucas Hernandez remains at the club until at least the end of the campaign – meaning a move away in the January transfer window is particularly unlikely. Bayern Munich are the club who are said to be really pushing the idea of a move, with the German champions being prepared to fork out the necessary €80 million that would be required to trigger his release clause.
Atletico and Bayern representatives have recently held talks with the aim of postponing any potential deal until beyond January, which would allow Hernandez to play out the rest of the season with Atletico.
The 22 year old has been with the club since the age of 11 and turned professional with the B team in 2014, and e…
Well-traveled Ivory Coast forward Seydou Doumbia looks set to finalize a move to Portugal giants Sporting CP.
Former CSKA Moscow, and Newcastle United forward is thought to have already arrived in Portugal where he will go through mandatory medical tests before he signs a deal with Leoes, according to Portugal media outlet Ojogo.
Officially an AS Roma player, Doumbia has spent the last year on loans at his former club CSKA Moscow, Newcastle United and Basel.
He scored 21 goals in 34 competitive matches for the Swiss club, which was enough to convince Sporting CP to bring him to Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Best known for his five-year stint at CSKA Moscow between 2010 and 2015 when he scored 61 goals in 95 league appearances, the 29-year-old forward has excha…
According to a recent report from Kicker, Thorgan Hazard is incredibly intent on joining Borussia Dortmund during the upcoming summer transfer window. Hazard wants to complete his rumoured move away from Borussia Monchengladbach once the season ends, although given that he will be out of a contract in 2020, there’s always a chance he could leave as a free agent. Premier League side Liverpool have also been linked with a move for the Belgian, but at the time being and for the foreseeable future, it certainly seems and feels like the Bundesliga will continue to be his home.
The youngster has been able to break out of Eden’s shadow in the last few years, and in the process, he’s been able to establish himself as one of the most exciting talents in European football today.
German Football League (DFL) president Reinhard Rauball will step down when his term expires at the end of the 2018-19 season.
The 71-year-old, who has headed German football s league association for 11 years, believes the time is right for a younger leader to take over next year.
Rauball will remain in his role as president of Borussia Dortmund, however.
After intensive consideration, I have decided not to be available again for the job with the DFL this coming summer, he said via a statement released on Monday.
It is only logical that, from this point on, younger people take over leadership and responsibility in a new DFL structure.
I informed my colleagues in the DFL presidium today. My decision relates exclusively to my work at the DFL and …
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola cooled speculation linking him with a move for Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez and reiterated his stance that Sergio Aguero will not be allowed to leave the Premier League club.
Sanchez has been a purported target for City and Guardiola, who took the Chile star to Barcelona in 2011, throughout the close season.
The 28-year-old told reporters in his homeland over the weekend of his desire to play in the Champions League – a competition that will feature City but not Arsenal next term – but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger maintained this week that Sanchez would not be allowed to leave despite entering the final year of his contract.
Speaking ahead of City s International Champions Cup meeting with rivals Manchester United in Hou…